Delusions
by ihearttony
Summary: Tony wakes to find himself trapped in a mental institution under the care of a beautiful, but deranged, doctor who is obsessed with him. Can Gibbs and the team find him before he is driven insane, or worse? Can Gibbs help him recover from the ordeal?
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer:_ I do not own or profit from NCIS.**

**_Author's Note:_ Well, here's my latest. It's mostly Tony Whump, with some angst and drama thrown in as well. Our poor guy does his best to maintain his dignity despite his circumstances, with some eventual help from Papa Gibbs. There's quite a bit of crime-solving to go along with poor Tony's situation. Let's just hope the team can figure it all out in time!**

**Let me know what you think-reviews keep me inspired and give me good ideas along the way! **

**As always, the story is basically done and I'll post a chapter every day or two. Enjoy!**

NCIS Lead Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs trotted down the stairs from the Major Threat Assessment Center. His steel blue eyes scanned the bullpen beneath him, immediately noticing the empty chair. Both Ziva David and Timothy McGee were seated at their respective desks, diligently following up on leads regarding their latest dead marine. However, the desk assigned to Senior Field Agent Anthony DiNozzo remained unoccupied. Gibbs checked his watch. 10:00 am.

"Any word?" the silver-haired man asked, sitting down. The other two agents glanced up, both knowing their Boss was not referring to the dead marine. "Uh," McGee said, "I checked his home and still no answer. His cell is going to voice mail."

"Either of you have any idea why this trip would have kept him over?" Gibbs questioned.

"According to Tony it should have been pretty routine. The funeral for his Great Aunt Trudy was held on Thursday, and he was scheduled to visit with an attorney to work out details of the will on Friday," Ziva explained. "I think he planned to stay and visit a few relatives on Saturday and return home Sunday. I see no reason he would not be here today."

Gibbs drummed his fingers on his desk. "What about the will? Any chance he might've inherited more than he thought and got carried away with the excitement?" Gibbs asked, knowing that even if Tony had finally hit the big one, he still would've called to check in. But he had to ask anyway.

McGee stood and walked toward Gibb's desk. "I don't think so. Tony was certain Great Aunt Trudy left the bulk of her estate to the Humane Society," he stated. Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "According to Tony, she owned and was very attached to several wire fox terriers," the junior agent added sheepishly.

"The reason Tony had to meet with an attorney was because Trudy made him executor of her estate. She seemed to be one of the few family members impressed that Tony went into law enforcement," Ziva stated. "It seems she was a big fan of mystery novels, particularly Agatha Christie. Because of that connection she trusted Tony to manage her affairs."

Gibbs stood and grabbed his jacket. "Call me if you hear anything. I'm going over to check out his place," the older man informed them and headed to the elevator.

McGee and Ziva watched their boss go. "Do you think something might be wrong?" Tim asked his partner.

Ziva tilted her head and sighed. "This is Tony we're talking about, McGee. He is an accident waiting to happen," she said.

McGee opened his mouth to correct her English, but closed it when he realized she got that one right.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Gibb's gut churned like mad. Something was definitely hinky, as Abby would say, about the entire situation. After Gibbs let himself into the apartment with his extra key, he found everything as it should be. Except for the fact there was no sign Tony had returned since he left the previous week. The plants were still in the sink and the thermostat was turned down. Gibbs stood in the silent apartment and felt his concern grow significantly. It was not like Tony to just drop out of contact. As a matter of fact, in the entire time Gibbs had known the younger man, the only instances he had ever missed work or not answered his phone involved serious trouble. The older man checked his watch again. 11:00 am.

He realized they actually had no true idea how long Tony had been missing. The last time anyone talked to him was on Wednesday, when he left to drive to Boston for the funeral. None of the team had heard a word since then. Clenching his fists, Gibbs stormed out the door and back to his car.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

McGee and Ziva looked up as Gibbs swept back into the bullpen. "Call Aunt Trudy's house and find out when Tony was last there," he ordered Ziva. The probationary agent immediately picked up her phone and started dialing. "Then figure out where Tony was staying while he was in Boston."

The flashing blue eyes turned to McGee. "Get a trace on DiNozzo's cell. I want to know where he is right now!" the Lead Agent demanded, taking the stairs two at a time as he headed for the office of Director Leon Vance.

"On it, Boss." Tim said immediately.

The Director's secretary tried to stop the agent as he marched to the office door, "Agent Gibbs, please, Director Vance is on a phone call. You'll have to wait."

"Sorry, I can't wait," he apologized, opening the door and stepping inside.

Vance looked up, catching the intensity on the Lead Agent's face. "Yes, sir, I completely understand. I'll find out and get back to you. Yes, thank you," he finished the conversation and hung up the phone. "Is there something I can do for you, Agent Gibbs?" he inquired, steepling his fingers and leaning back in the leather chair.

"I need you to re-assign our current case to someone else," Gibbs said matter-of-factly.

"Would like to tell me why I need to do that? Has there been an emergency I'm not aware of?" he asked.

Gibbs paused. "DiNozzo was due back here today from a family funeral in Boston. As of right now, no one has seen him and we can't contact him. Something's wrong, Leon. I'm taking McGee and Ziva to Boston to find out what," he explained succinctly.

Leon thought a moment. "How can you be sure he didn't just decide to stay a few days longer?" the Director asked.

"Because, Tony always calls or answers his phone. Always. I'm telling you, something isn't right," Gibbs repeated.

"The famous Gibb's gut?" Vance asked.

The blue-eyed man gave a wry smile. "Come downstairs and let's find out," he said.

As the two men entered the bullpen, Ziva hung up the phone. "According to the maid I spoke to at Aunt Trudy's, Tony was last there on Saturday morning when he spoke to Trudy's son Evan in his study. She didn't see Tony leave, but Evan later told her Tony had decided to go home early," Ziva summarized.

"Was DiNozzo staying at the house?" Vance asked.

"Yes. And according to this woman, all of his things are gone," the agent added.

"McGee, what have you got on his phone?" Gibbs questioned.

The younger man shook his head apologetically. "Sorry, Boss…es," he added, glancing at both Gibbs and Vance, who were waiting on his information. "Either Tony's phone is turned off or out-of-service. I'm getting nothing. I also checked and found out his last call was placed to Aunt Trudy's attorney Saturday morning."

Gibbs raised his eyebrows then looked at the Director. "Well? You feelin' it yet?" he asked.

Vance scratched his head. "Ok, it is strange," he paused, thinking. "Alright, Gibbs, I'll give your dead marine to another team while you go to Boston," he approved. "But if you discover that DiNozzo is hanging out with some BU co-ed, don't bother to bring his ass back here!" the Directed threatened.

"If I find him with some co-ed I'll kick his ass so far he won't ever find it again," the Lead Agent promised. Going back to his desk to collect his gear, the ex-marine silently thought, _"I hope it's something that simple and stupid." _The experienced agent knew that with Tony, it was never that easy.

McGee put out a BOLO on DiNozzo and his car, while Ziva gathered some things to take with her on the trip. They weren't sure how long they would be gone. Gibbs went downstairs to tell Abby, Ducky, and Jimmy where the team was heading. "This really doesn't make sense, Gibbs," Abby exclaimed. "Tony was sad about Aunt Trudy passing away, but he said the arrangements were cut and dry and shouldn't be difficult to settle. Do you think he could've been in an accident we haven't heard about? Maybe he's lost his memory!" Gibbs could see the wheels in the pretty Goth's brain starting to whirl frantically.

Palmer didn't help, "He could be in a coma, like Gibbs was! That would explain why we haven't heard anything!"

Abby looked stricken and ready to cry. Ducky gave Palmer a disgusted stare which shut the autopsy assistant up immediately.

"There, there, Abigail, I'm sure Anthony is just fine. He probably met some attractive young woman, had a few too many drinks, and is sleeping off his good time somewhere," the old medical examiner patted her on the arm and comforted her fears. "Why, I remember a navy seal I knew who got so intoxicated while on leave he slept for three days straight and was listed as AWOL before anyone found him. It was in 1983….."

"Ducky," Gibbs interjected. "We really need to get going."

"Of course," the ME said, ending his story. "I will keep an eye on Abigail and make sure she doesn't let herself get too upset."

"Call me as soon as you know something, ok Gibbs?" Abby requested.

"You got it," the agent replied, kissing her on the forehead.

As Ducky walked the Lead Agent to the elevator, he said softly, "I'll call the local hospitals and see if anyone fitting Anthony's description has been admitted. If I find anything I'll let you know."

"Thanks, Ducky," Gibbs answered.

"You just take care of our boy," the doctor requested, as the doors slid shut behind the Lead Agent.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

The trip that would normally have taken seven hours was made in five and a half. It would have been quicker, but Gibbs finally pulled over to the side of the road to let McGee pee behind a tree. The team eventually stopped in front of an ornate gate and Gibbs poked at the speaker, announcing their arrival to the faceless voice requesting their names. A few minutes later they were parked in front of a grand mansion constructed in the style of an old English manor.

McGee put all their thoughts into words when he whistled and said, "Wow. Great Aunt Trudy really was loaded."

_NCISNCISNCIS_

A heavy-set woman wearing a traditional maid's uniform opened the door. Two small dogs sat on either side of her, assessing the visitors. "You must be Detective Gibbs," she stated with a warm smile on her broad face.

"Agent Gibbs," he corrected. "Naval Criminal Investigative Services," he informed her, displaying his badge. "These are agents McGee and David." The other agents nodded.

"Come in, please," the domestic worker requested, "Tony has told us all about you."

Ziva raised an eyebrow. "He has?" she asked as the woman led them to a small but elegantly decorated room.

"Oh, yes," she offered. "He used to sit in this very room with Miss Trudy and myself and tell us stories about your exploits. Anthony was so kind to Miss Trudy! He came by every few years to spend the day with her. Not many young men would do that for an old lady!" She hesitated. "Her own son lives in this house and he barely took time to speak with her."

"Mrs…." Gibbs left the ending open.

"Please excuse my terrible manners!" she chided herself, presenting her hand to Gibbs. "My name is Maya Hughes. I've worked with Miss Trudy for over twenty years!" She sighed sadly. "She was truly a fine woman. I miss her terribly."

They took seats to continue the conversation. "Ms. Hughes, we're very worried about Tony. He typically stays in close contact with us, and was due back to work this morning. As far as we can determine, he never returned to his apartment this weekend and the last time he was seen was Saturday morning in this house," Gibbs informed her. "Could you tell us what happened since Tony arrived here on Wednesday? It might help us figure out where Tony is now."

Trudy frowned, "Nothing seemed out-of-the-ordinary," she recalled. "Anthony arrived late Wednesday night and went straight to bed. He attended the funeral and the wake on Thursday, then spent the remainder of the evening with me and a few other members of the staff." She laughed nervously. "We weren't allowed to attend the wake, and Tony wanted to catch up with us. He knew we were close to Miss Trudy, and never seemed to mind that we were the hired help."

Gibbs patted her on the knee and smiled, "No, he wouldn't. What happened on Friday?"

She relaxed a little, "On Friday he went to see Brigham Reynolds, Miss Trudy's attorney. Anthony was there most of the day, not returning until late Friday evening." She grinned again, "We had dinner waiting for him, one of his favorites." She smiled conspiratorially, "Pizza!"

Ziva giggled and McGee laughed. Of course Tony had a posh kitchen staff making him pizza. Gibbs just shook his head, "So nothing unusual happened on Friday?" the lead investigator questioned.

Maya shifted uncomfortably, and Gibbs immediately noticed. "Ms. Hughes, please," he prompted gently, "anything you remember might make a difference for Tony."

Lowering her voice, Maya leaned forward and met the concerned blue eyes, "There was a small disagreement that occurred between Tony and Evan, Miss Trudy's son." At Gibb's nod, she continued. "When Anthony returned from the lawyers, Evan came in and started yelling. Evan's very upset that Miss Trudy left him only a small yearly allowance in the will. Mind you, the young man has enough to live on, but he cannot understand why his mother left millions to an organization like the Humane Society."

Gibbs tilted his head, "Why did she do that?" he inquired.

Maya rubbed one of the dogs on the back of the head. "These animals were her prized possessions, Agent Gibbs. They were there for her even when her son wasn't. The will provided they would be well taken care of, and the remainder of the estate, minus Evan's stipend and a little something for Tony, goes to the Humane Society. Miss Trudy admired the fact that Tony didn't rely on his family for support, which contrasted directly with Evan. She thought maybe her son would become more motivated if he had no choice and needed to work for the lifestyle he wanted," she answered and shrugged. "I don't think Evan agreed with her."

"What did Evan and Tony argue about?" asked the Lead Agent.

"I'm not sure. They went into Evan's study and shut the door. I don't know what was said after that," she detailed apologetically.

Gibbs rubbed his forehead, "Where is Evan now? Can we speak to him?"

"I haven't seen him all day," Maya replied. "I'm not sure when he'll be back. He sometimes keeps very odd hours. Perhaps you could try again in the morning."

"We'll do that," he agreed. The Lead Agent took the older woman's hands in his own. "I really appreciate everything you've done to help us, Maya."

"Anthony is a very special young man, and I will do anything I can to help you find him. Just let me know what else I can do," she said, as she led them to the door, genuine concern written on her features.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Tony's eyes slid open and closed several times, sending fuzzy, confusing images to his brain for processing. He saw that he was in a small room, white walls, various monitors and equipment along the edges. When his eyes refused to re-open, sounds entered his consciousness; beeping monitors, the whir of an air-conditioner. He was very, very cold and shivering violently. Someone from far away asked if he was cold, and after licking his dry, cracked lips several times he managed to say, "Yes."

Several warmed, thick blankets were tucked around him and he drifted back to sleep.

He didn't know how many times this happened or how long he slept until the time came he could keep his heavy eyes open for more than a couple of minutes. The extended consciousness allowed his brain to take in some more information as it tried to figure out what was going on. His head was pounding mercilessly and he could feel the start of nausea rising up from his stomach. He tried to lift himself up, to look for a call button or something since he had to be in a hospital. That was when he realized he couldn't lift his body more than a few inches. Suddenly he noticed his arms and legs were attached to the sides of the bed. Wriggling slightly, the blankets moved so he could see wide leather restraints circling his wrists and ankles. Hospital restraints. He laid his head back and felt the nausea build some more, along with slightly rising panic. To the right he noticed an IV attached to the crook of his elbow and several bags hanging from a pole. Trying to play connect the dots wasn't working for him very well right now. Despite his desire to stay awake, sleep was pulling at him again. _"There's something more than saline in those bags," _he thought with concern, unable to put together more details than that before the drugs seduced him back into a dark netherworld.

The drowsy state continued for what must have been hours, leaving time with no meaning. Unable to switch position, Tony's legs and arms twitched and jerked. Every time his eyes opened completely for a few minutes, he wondered where he was, and how he had gotten there. But his mind was totally blank about the past few days. The last thing he remembered was sitting in the bullpen working a dead marine case—but when? He didn't know. The world right now was unfocused and unreal. His heart was beating so hard he could feel it through the thin gown he was wearing over his otherwise naked body. _"If I'm in a hospital, why doesn't anyone come check on me? Usually it's impossible to keep doctors and nurses out," _he thought as he waited for someone, anyone to tell him what was going on.

Finally, the door to the room opened. An attractive female doctor of about forty entered, wearing a lab coat with a stethoscope stuck in the pocket. She was writing on a clipboard, glancing over at Tony as she walked, but she didn't speak to him. Stepping close, she pulled out a thermometer and ran it across his forehead. Frowning slightly, she recorded something on the chart. A blood-pressure cuff was placed on his arm, tightening painfully as she then recorded those numbers as well. The stethoscope was snaked beneath his gown, while she listened carefully and charted more notes. The doctor then stepped to a small machine and checked a read-out, Tony now aware of tiny leads winding from the machine to his temples.

Eventually, she stopped and approached him, "Anthony are you awake? My name is Doctor Emily Anderson, and I need to speak to you for a few minutes. Are you up to that?"

"Yes," he answered hoarsely. "Wh-where am I…..What ha….ppe….ned?" His groggy brain was finding it difficult to locate words for a conversation.

"Well, I suppose you wouldn't remember. You were brought in on Saturday with a severe concussion. It happened during a disagreement with one of your family members," she explained. "Ring any bells?"

"No," DiNozzo replied. Where the memory should have been was a great big hole. _"Wait a minute….did she say family? Who could she be talking about?" _he wondered. He turned his head as a pretty young nurse entered the room carrying fresh IV bags. With a quick nod from the doctor, she began changing them.

His mouth was so dry. Licking his lips again, he asked, "Why the st…raps?" The nurse gave the doctor a look.

"Your family was very concerned about your behavior, Mr. Harrington. You quit taking your medication several months ago and they feel that's what led to yesterday's outburst," the doctor stated. "We can't let you stay here and endanger yourself or others when you violently act out."

There was a lot in the physician's short explanation for Tony's brain to process. "Who? I…..don't und…..erstand," he said worriedly. This situation was getting crazier by the minute._ "Gibbs. I need them to call Gibbs," _his foggy brain concluded. "Call….my….Boss," he slowly demanded. "Naval Criminal…Investigative Services." _Why was that name so damn long?_ Leroy….Jethro….Gibbs."

The doctor smiled indulgently, the same look you would give a confused five year old. "Anthony, we've been through this all before during your previous stays with us," she disclosed. "You've created an elaborate fantasy in which you are a federal agent working for NCIS, and this Leroy Jethro Gibbs is your boss. None of it is real, dear. The quicker you accept that, the easier your overall treatment is going to be."

Tony's head was pounding and reeling. He started breathing in short, little gasps. _"What is going on here? Why is she lying like this?" _he thought anxiously.

"No," he said, more forcefully this time, involuntarily tugging at the straps holding him to the bed. He tried to stay calm, but it was impossible, panic was taking over again. "My name…..is Anthony…..Anthony DiNozzo," he identified. "My wallet, should have…..my badge and id card. Please." He looked at the doctor with frightened but sincere green eyes, "This….must be…..a mistake.'

Dr. Anderson touched his arm. "I'm sorry this is so difficult for you, Anthony, but you are a diagnosed schizophrenic who has created a very vivid delusion. I know it seems more real to you than all of this, but for your sake we are going to help you overcome this problem," she paused and smiled. "But first, we need to get this concussion treated and start you back on the anti-psychotic medications that work best to control these behaviors."

Tony closed his eyes. The nausea he had been holding back swept over him again with a tidal wave force. This time he knew he was going to throw up and couldn't stop it.

The pretty nurse noticed his face go even paler and mix with a pea shade of green. His adam's apple was moving up and down convulsively. Quickly she grabbed a basin. "I think he's about to vomit, doctor," she informed the physician, who was still studying the chart.

Tony could feel the straps on his wrists loosen and the doctor helped him sit up. His eyes rolled back momentarily as his equilibrium continued to wobble about. Suddenly, he hunched over and began to expel the contents of his stomach, which didn't amount to much. However, dry heaves continued to spasm though him for several more minutes. Eventually, the reflex stopped and the doctor lay him back down on the bed, completely spent. Within seconds he felt the straps tightened around his wrists again. _"Where does she think I'm going? I don't even know where I am."_ he questioned silently.

Dr. Anderson met the nurse's gaze. "Give him some Compazine and Valium. We need to get this nausea under control and I don't want him to continue getting agitated. I'll be back to look in on him in a few minutes," she informed the nurse. Before leaving, she walked over and brushed Tony's sweaty hair back from his forehead. Smiling kindly, she took a cloth from the table and gently wiped his drawn but handsome face. "I'm going to take very good care of you, Anthony. I promise," she said softly.

Following the doctor's instructions, the nurse added the ordered doses to the patient's IV line. She didn't think the young man had been particularly agitated, but it was her job to do as Dr. Anderson requested.

The emerald eyes opened to follow her movements as she checked the straps to make sure they weren't chafing his skin. She then pulled a blanket up to his chest since he was shivering again in the cold room. The thought that he couldn't do that basic action for himself bothered her; she had never liked to see patients restrained unless it was absolutely necessary. Although his eyes were glassy and dazed, she could see the man was somewhat aware of what was happening and was fighting to stay awake.

"Please," he said again, "My name is…DiNozzo. I need you to call…call Gibbs." He was losing the battle to the drugs coursing through his veins. "He'll take care…of everything." The young man's eyes shut and stayed that way, his breathing evening out to a deep sleep.

The nurse listened, and wondered how she could consider taking a diagnosed schizophrenic seriously, even if he was drop-dead gorgeous. No, she wasn't about to risk her job for his request. Dr. Anderson had made it perfectly clear that the new patient was suffering from serious delusions. Finishing her duties she turned and left the room, the door shutting behind her with a soft click. The sound never woke the highly drugged man in the bed, who still had no idea what was happening to him or why.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Sitting at the desk in her office, Dr. Emily Anderson dialed a very familiar number. "I wanted to let you know that everything is under control and going well so far," she stated. "He's completely out of it, and I plan to keep him that way." She laughed. "Don't you worry. By the time I'm finished with Anthony, he won't know fantasy from reality, and will never bother you again." She sighed, "I love you, too. Bye."

She looked down at the file open on her desk that said, "Anthony Harrington." Included in it was a picture of NCIS Agent Anthony DiNozzo. "And you," she ran a well-manicured nail along the photograph, "are going to make all our dreams come true."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer**: _**I do not own or profit from NCIS**

**_Author's Note: _Busy day! Picnics, yard work, laundry, yep-a very exciting life! A little background on this story-I had surgery about a week ago, and started mulling this over while in the hospital being given some very interesting drugs. It's amazing what a little shot can do to your mind, and I started wondering how Tony would handle this kind of situation. Anyway, it kept me entertained while I was at home from work last week. We get a lot of whumped Tony in the first half, and a lot of Papa Gibbs in the last half.**

**Review if you enjoy it-hearing from you is one of the highlights of my day! Every little thanks is a sign of encouragement! :)**

_"Amanda, the pretty nurse is Amanda,"_ Tony reminded himself as he opened his eyes and glanced around. From what he could tell she had been with him all night, helping him through the continual bouts of nausea and vomiting.

"I'm sure the nausea is from the concussion," she explained, checking the stitches above his eye. "You've got a pretty spectacular bruise going on there." Tony flinched when she carefully ran her fingers over the area.

He turned his eyes toward the IV's. "Could that be making me sick?" he asked slowly. Everything felt sluggish and distorted, and all the vomiting had left him weak and spent.

Amanda tilted her head as if trying to select an answer. "It's mostly saline to keep you from getting dehydrated. But Doctor Anderson has added some anti-psychotic medication and tranquilizers. It shouldn't make you sick, but it is part of the reason you feel so disoriented and sleepy," she stated. "You know, you're very lucky. Dr. Anderson is a highly regarded psychiatrist and she only treats selected patients. If anyone can help you, she can."

"No one tried to call Gibbs did they?" he asked quietly, giving up hope for contacting his one lifeline. Amanda obviously believed he was crazy; she would have no reason to do anything he asked. In his heart he knew the stubborn old marine would be out there searching for him. _"But how did I end up here? Am I undercover?" _he asked himself. Nothing made sense right now.

She shook her head, tossing her short blonde hair from side-to-side. "No, Tony. Like Dr. Anderson said, you have to let go of that fantasy and try to re-orient yourself to reality," she imparted kindly. "You need to keep reminding yourself that Gibbs isn't real, he's just someone you made up. I've seen this reaction in many schizophrenic patients; it takes some time to remove yourself from the world you've created."

_"Why are they trying to convince me I'm crazy?"_ he wondered. If anything in his life was real, it was Gibbs; the man was his rock, his foundation. Tony desperately hung on to this thought, despite what they were telling him to believe. It was difficult to think clearly, and something in the back of his mind whispered, _"What if they're telling you the truth?"_ Closing his eyes he let out a slow breath and clenched his fists, willing himself not to tug at the straps again. It was just a reminder of his current helplessness.

"I don't suppose you could take these off?" Tony questioned hopefully.

Amanda sighed, "I know it has to be uncomfortable. But I can't go against the doctor's orders." She offered him some ice chips, which he reluctantly accepted. "If you cooperate and show you're willing to participate in treatment, I'm sure she'll take them off soon."

Another nurse entered the room. She was big, older, and did not seem happy to be there. "So is this our new problem patient?" she asked Amanda, picking up the chart from the side table and giving Tony an icy once over. He felt like a lab specimen, keenly aware of what he must look like, strapped to the bed and wearing nothing but a thin hospital gown.

"This is Anthony, Sylvia. He hasn't caused any problems so far except for ruining a pair of my shoes when he puked on them," she winked at him. Tony was grateful for her kindness, but wary of this new person who didn't seem so nice.

"Right," Sylvia said. "Well, hon, your shift is over and I've been assigned to care for him today. So you head on home and I'll take over from here."

Amanda leaned in to speak quietly to the new nurse. "He really isn't bad, Sylvia, and he's very confused right now. Take it easy with him, ok?" she asked.

"You're such a softie, Amanda. Now get out of here and stop worrying about the patients. I'll make sure he's fine," the older nurse scolded. "See you tomorrow."

Amanda glanced over at Anthony, his heavy eyes once again drooping like a sleepy child's, and hoped Sylvia would be true to her word.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Gibbs and Ziva arrived at Great Aunt Trudy's house to interview Evan Davenport. McGee had stayed at the hotel researching their main suspect's financial records and recent activities. Maya opened the door to greet them.

"Good morning! Please come in, Evan is expecting you," she ushered them inside. "Have you heard anything from Anthony?"

"No, nothing, Maya," Gibbs answered honestly. "I'm hoping Evan will give us more insight into what might've happened."

They followed her to the study where she knocked; a handsome man in his late thirties with dark hair and blue eyes opened the door. The charming man smiled, "Hello, Agent Gibbs, I've been looking forward to meeting you. I expect you want to talk about Tony," he said. Davenport gave Ziva an appreciative gaze; the former Mossad agent frowned at him in return.

Evan cleared his throat nervously, "Maya, could you see we aren't disturbed?"

"Of course," she replied, once again looking at Gibbs. "I hope you find Anthony soon," she said, before quietly leaving the room.

"This is Agent David," the Lead Agent introduced his partner, who nodded, but continued to glare at the dark-haired man.

"Can I offer either of you a drink?" Evan asked, trying to avoid their gazes, as he poured something for himself.

"No, not while we're working an official investigation," the silver-haired agent replied.

"Oh, so this is an_ official_ investigation," Davenport said easily.

"One of my agents is missing, so yes, this is an official investigation," Gibbs stated, clearly irritated with the man. "I need you to tell me what happened between you and Tony this weekend."

Evan sat behind his desk and displayed a practiced casual air. "I'm not sure what you're implying, but nothing significant happened between Tony and myself. I had some questions for him regarding mother's estate, which he fully explained," Evan summarized.

"It didn't bother you that your mother decided to leave the majority of her inheritance to a couple of," he looked down at his note-pad, "wire-fox terriers?" The blue-eyed man taunted him.

The hand holding the wine glass shook slightly. "Yes, Agent Gibbs, that did bother me. I never understood my mother's obsession with those mutts. But it was mother's money, and she could dispose of it as she wanted," Evan said smoothly. "I'm grateful she saw fit to leave me an allowance and continued use of our family home." Despite his words, the man could not hide the insincerity in his voice.

"So how much did she leave the Humane Society?" Ziva questioned.

Evan sighed slightly, "Around twenty million."

Gibbs gave a low whistle. "That's a lot to lose. I'd be surprised if you weren't angry enough to take some extreme steps."

Evan stood, a low simmering anger under the surface. "If you're insinuating I did something to Tony, you are way off target. Tony finished up his responsibilities as executor and decided to leave. I have no idea where he went after that. I mean, you know Tony, he could be out with anyone right now. It's not like he's a poster boy for good virtue," Evan stated.

Gibbs smirked. "And I suppose you are?" he said, stepping closer to Davenport, blue eyes simmering. Ziva stood behind her boss, arms folded, smiling slightly. "You know, I don't think I believe anything you're telling me. My gut says you know exactly where Tony is." Evan took a step away from the ex-marine who was now far into his personal space. "If I find out you had any part in what has happened to Tony, nothing will stop me from tearing you apart."

"Don't threaten me, Agent Gibbs," Evan spat out.

Gibbs smiled, backing Davenport against a wall, "It's not a threat. It's a fact." The federal agent stared DiNozzo's cousin up and down. "I will find Tony, and you better pray I find him unharmed and you uninvolved." His voice was low and menacing, carrying with it a promise of retribution for anyone who hurt his Senior Field Agent.

"We'll show ourselves out," Gibbs said, striding away. Ziva grinned smugly and waved her fingers before following him outside.

As the NCIS agent closed the door, Evan Davenport slammed his fist on the table. "Damn, you Tony," he said "Damn you to hell."

_NCISNCISNCIS_

"He is lying, Gibbs," Ziva fumed. "You should let me go back and make him tell us where Tony is." Her brown eyes blazed with fury. She might pick at Tony, but the Israeli still cared greatly about her partner, and not being able to help him was infuriating.

"Not yet, Ziva," Gibbs replied. Worry and fear for Tony were eating at him, but they had to follow protocol at least for a little while. If nothing turned up quickly, then they could explore the other options in which Ziva excelled. Gibbs had no problem resorting to less than legal tactics if he had to; it wasn't like he hadn't done it before, but it was best to run down as many leads as possible first.

Ziva had a faraway look in her eyes; she remembered Tony's strength in the face of Salim's interrogation. Her partner had never once broken, despite being beaten and drugged. "Tony is very strong," she said to Gibbs, more to reassure herself than anything else. "He will be able to take care of himself." She looked at Gibbs, needing to hear his response.

The ex-gunnery sergeant smiled grimly. "Damn right, David. Damn right," he declared, putting the car in gear and peeling out; they would go back to the hotel and see if McGee had come up with anything yet. Tony might be strong, but he still needed their help. "_And soon," _Gibbs added silently, his gut clenching once again.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Tony heard hushed voices talking somewhere behind him. "You should have let me kill him when this first started. Then we wouldn't have this mess to deal with."

"I already told you, I need him. I'm helping you in any way possible, but killing him isn't the only solution," a feminine voice stated. It sounded like Dr. Anderson.

The man laughed. "You won't kill him, but you will stick him in here and try to drive him crazy? Or just hide him until everyone stops looking? Look, this Gibbs character isn't going to give up. I'm not very confident in your long-range planning, Emily," he said.

"I'm in this as much as you are, so don't worry, I'll take care of what needs to be done," the doctor declared. "Besides, you know how much I enjoy working the kinks out of stubborn young men. I helped you, didn't I? And now, I'm going to look at this as an opportunity to not only make us a great deal of money, but to help dear Anthony, as well. I've managed to see a few of his medical records, and it seems he has some childhood trauma that needs to be resolved." She paused, "You just worry about taking care of your end of things."

Tony could feel someone standing over him, but he didn't try to open his eyes and look. He decided to feign sleep and see if he could hear anything useful. The person tugged at the strap on his wrist, then cinched it tighter. He did the same thing to Tony's other wrist. "At least he's not going anywhere," the man said cruelly. "I never did like you, Anthony. You never knew how to mind your own business."

"_Who is that?"_ Tony questioned. He tried not to react to the throbbing in his wrists.

"What's in those?" the voice asked Dr. Anderson.

"A very special cocktail for a very special agent. As long as he's on this stuff he won't be able to tell up from down. It's one of my own recipes," she said. "I should be able to collect some good data on its use."

"I better get back to the house in case Agent Gibbs comes looking for me again," it sounded like the man kissed Dr. Anderson on the cheek. "I'll check back in later today."

Tony wanted to cheer at the sound of Gibb's name. He had no doubt his boss would find him, but it was comforting to hear someone else mention the Lead Agent. It also reassured him that he wasn't losing his mind. A part of Tony expected his mentor to come busting through the door at any second. When it didn't happen, Tony sighed inwardly. _"Ok, boss,"_ he thought, _"Just don't take too long."_

DiNozzo could hear Dr. Anderson moving around the room; without warning he could feel her breath in his ear. "I know you're awake, Anthony," she whispered. "Do you like listening to conversations you aren't supposed to hear? Is that what used to get you in trouble as a little boy?" She leaned away from him. "Open your eyes," she demanded coldly.

Tony opened his eyes to stare at the beautiful doctor. She was standing next to the bed, arms folded. "You are not to eavesdrop, Anthony. It's against my rules. Remember that for the future," she explained firmly.

"It's not like I could go anywhere," Tony responded, wiggling the straps.

The doctor scowled for a few minutes, then burst out laughing. "You can call me Emily," she said tilting her head so that her long brown hair fell to the side. "I like you, Anthony. I'm beginning to think I like you very much." She stared at him with an odd expression for a few more minutes, taking in his soft brown hair and green eyes. The psychiatrist reached over and traced a finger along his jaw line. Tony breathed slowly and tried not to flinch. Emily was interrupted by the heavyset nurse entering the room.

"We're ready to move him," the new nurse said.

"Alright, Sylvia," the doctor answered, smiling at her patient. "It's time to go, Anthony."

They loosened the straps and pushed a gurney next to the bed. Tony considered resisting them, but he was so weak and tired he knew it would be a wasted effort. Swiftly he was moving through hallways and corridors, until finally they stopped in a small room. "There you go, Mr. Harrington," Sylvia said as she tucked blankets tightly around him. "You should try and rest this evening."

"My….nmes…Dnozo," he mumbled, not wanting her to touch him but unable to make her stop.

The nurse shook her head, "Dr. Anderson and I will be back to check on you again later."

Tony's breathing grew heavy and slow as the powerful drugs continued to move through him. _"I need to wake up,"_ he thought desperately. _"I need to find a way out of this place,"_ but his mind and body were no longer his own, and he could feel himself slipping further away from reality. _"Keep looking for me, Boss," _he thought, as he slid under the blackness again.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

"McGee, what have you found?" Gibbs demanded, stepping back into the hotel room along with Ziva. They had spent the day interviewing anyone who might have information about Tony's disappearance, from Aunt Trudy's lawyer to those who attended the funeral, and turned up nothing. The Lead Investigator was tired and frustrated.

"Not a lot, Boss," McGee said with a sigh. "Evan Davenport is still our best suspect. Even though the entire estate was worth around twenty million dollars, his allowance will work out to a couple hundred thousand dollars a year. Not exactly the lifestyle he was accustomed to. With Tony out of the way, maybe he felt he could get a bigger cut of the inheritance."

"Anybody else turn up?" Gibbs questioned.

"Evan is engaged to Dr. Emily Anderson, a psychiatrist. She operates the Glenwood Psychiatric Hospital that specializes in treating acute mental disorders," McGee added. "I'm still looking into her."

Gibbs thought for a few minutes, "We need some way to get a warrant to search Davenport's house. I have a feeling Evan knows a lot more than he's letting on." He sighed. There was nothing else they could do tonight. "Listen, you two get some sleep; we'll start back in the morning. We're no good to Tony if we can't think straight."

The two agents glanced at each other in response to Gibb's soft tone, and reluctantly moved toward the door. "Don't worry, boss, we'll find him," McGee said, and Ziva nodded in agreement.

"Nothing will stop us from getting Tony back," she added firmly.

Gibbs smiled. "Go on," he said gently, touched by the concern for their partner. He already knew that neither agent would give up in the search for their friend.

The Lead Agent stared out the window as the sun set on another day. Another day that left him with no idea who was holding Tony, where, or what had been done to him. He knew that no matter what was happening with DiNozzo, the younger man would be waiting for Gibbs to find him. "_My faithful Saint Bernard," _he laughed at the memory.

The ex-marine wouldn't let Tony down; it would be like letting down his own flesh and blood. The older man wasn't sure exactly what connected him to the brash young Italian, but whatever it was ran strong and deep and would drive him to any means necessary to help DiNozzo. Silently, Gibbs willed his friend strength, and promised to make whoever was holding him pay a heavy price for what they were doing.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

When Tony woke this time, he was curled on his side in a tiny bed. The IV was gone, and he wasn't shivering anymore, although he still had a pounding headache. He also wasn't tied down, which was a huge improvement over the last couple of days.

Opening his eyes, he immediately jerked back, away from the face that was only inches from his own. "Who are you?" he asked thickly, his mouth still dry from all the medication they had been forcing into him.

The face smiled broadly. "Sammy. My name's Sammy. I'm your roommate. I haven't had a roommate in a long time, and it gets kind of lonely. I want to be your friend. Do you think we could be friends?" the man said quickly.

Tony nodded, "Yeah, Sammy, but slow down, ok? I just woke up and I'm not quite up to speed yet."

The federal agent pushed himself to the edge of the bed and waited for the world to stop spinning and settle down into images that didn't move. He absently reached up and rubbed his temple, gingerly moving along the stitches and large bump he found there. He noticed he had on pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, which was better than the hospital gown he was wearing earlier. He still didn't like the fact someone was dressing and undressing him, but at this point clothes were clothes. Sammy had moved over to sit on his own bed, legs tucked under his chin, observing Tony.

"You've been really tired," Sammy supplied. "And you talk in your sleep. You keep asking for somebody named Gibbs; who's that? Is he your Dad?" Sammy shook his head. "My Dad doesn't like me so much, that's why he left me here. He said he would come back and get me, but he never did." Sammy paused. "Did Gibbs leave you here?"

"No, Sammy, Gibbs is not my Dad, he's my….friend," Tony replied, realizing that didn't adequately describe his relationship with the crusty marine, but it was the best word he could come up with at the moment. "And he didn't leave me here. Actually, I'm pretty sure he's the one who'll come and get me," Tony explained to his roommate.

"Really? Maybe he'll take me, too. I hate being in the hospital," Sammy told him.

"What kind of hospital is this?" Tony asked. He needed as much information as possible if he planned on getting out of here anytime soon.

Sammy laughed. "It's the kind of hospital your family puts you in when they don't want to deal with you anymore. It's where you go for everyone to tell you you're crazy and then fill you up with pills that really do make you crazy. Welcome to the loony bin, Tony," he exclaimed with a wide smile.

Tony, holding his pounding head in his hands, stared up at the grinning man and thought, _"My father always said I belonged in a mental institution."_

The door opened and Sylvia walked in. "Well, I see sleeping beauty decided to rejoin the land of the living," she declared sarcastically. Tony tried to bat her away as she started checking his pupil reaction and temperature.

"Don't touch me," he demanded. "I'm fine, just a headache, and I don't need any help from you people."

She stood back and placed her hands on her broad hips. "Let's get one thing straight here, Mr. Harrington. We decide if you're fine or not. You decide nothing. The fact you are incapable of making sound decisions is why you're in here to begin with. Now, I'm going to finish checking your vitals and you are not going to argue with me," she directed with a glare almost worthy of Gibbs himself.

Tony shook his head, despite the sharp pain that shot through his brain. "I have been trying to tell you, my name is not Harrington. My name is Anthony DiNozzo, and I am a federal agent. You cannot hold me here against my will. I demand a phone call immediately," Tony said forcefully. He stared up at the nurse, what was her name? Ratchet? He smiled to himself at the _One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest_ reference.

"I don't know what you're grinning at, Mr. Harrington, but you were signed into this facility by your brother, who is also your legal guardian. At this time, every aspect of your care has been given to us. And that does not include making phone calls to imaginary people," she responded. "Now, if you don't cooperate, I can have you restrained again. Is that what you want?"

Sammy walked over, "You better do what she says, Tony. She means business."

Sylvia smiled at the small man, "Thank you, Sammy. You've learned to be a very good patient."

"Thank you," he said with a shy smile.

Without another word, Sylvia took Tony's blood pressure and pulse. "Everything's still elevated, undoubtedly because of all the arguing you've been doing. Rest tonight and tomorrow I'll let you out in the dayroom," she said cheerfully.

Tony gazed at her furiously, "Do not call me Harrington again, that's not my name and I don't have a brother. I don't know what game you guys are playing here, but I'm damn well not going to let you keep me here and shuffle me off to the dayroom!" He stood, a little shakily, but began to walk forward. These people were really starting to piss him off.

Sammy watched in fear. The nurse drew herself up to her full height while in her pocket she pushed a button to call security. "Stop, Mr. Harrington. You need to sit back down," she said, stepping in front of him.

Tony was growing angrier by the minute. His fury seemed to drive the drugs from his system; he began to think more clearly. The entire situation was ridiculous. He might act a bit weird sometimes, but there was absolutely nothing mentally wrong with him and he refused to be treated like a crazy person. "I am a damn federal agent!" he yelled. "Not a fucking girl scout! Do not tell me to sit down!"

Sammy drew back on his bed as Doctor Anderson and two large orderlies entered the room. "Mr. Harrington is getting quite agitated," Sylvia told the doctor, glancing back at the seething patient. "I can't convince him to calm down."

Tony ran his hands through his hair, the result making him appear even wilder. "I do not need to calm down!" he shouted. "I need to make a damn phone call!"

One of the orderlies approached Tony cautiously. At a nod from Sylvia, he grabbed Tony's wrists and painfully twisted them behind him. Tony kicked the man in the knee and sent him toward the floor with a yelp. The second orderly moved in and grabbed DiNozzo by the hair, pushing Tony up against the wall, so he was unable to move. The first orderly moved back in, pulling Tony's arms tightly behind his back. Unfortunately, after several days in bed, DiNozzo was too physically weak to put up much of a fight. As the young man squirmed, he found his face smashed into the concrete. Doctor Anderson produced a bottle of medication and a hypodermic needle, which she quickly filled. "Don't get too rough," she commanded the employees as they continued to subdue the fighting man.

"You don't have to drug me every time I say something you don't agree with. It's not like a drinking game or something," Tony said caustically, his eyes never leaving the doctor's movements. He was still not over the last round of medication she had given him; he definitely didn't want to be sedated again.

Tony continued to struggle, but couldn't prevent the doctor from deftly plunging the needle into his forearm. DiNozzo flinched, and immediately felt his body weaken even more, his muscles no longer obeying his commands. "I'm here to help you, Anthony," the beautiful woman said while she patted the back of his neck affectionately, "but you have to let me."

The Senior Field Agent felt his legs go out from under him. Before the patient collapsed entirely, the orderlies led the man back to bed while Sylvia placed him under the covers. Tony blinked rapidly at them and tried to form an argument, but could get nothing past the thick fog that blanketed his mind.

Emily bent over the young man. "I don't want to do this to you, Anthony, but you have to understand who is in charge, and it isn't you," she purred, tilting his chin up with her hand. His dark green eyes tried to focus with no success.

"My boss….is gonna….kick your ass," DiNozzo managed to slur out as he watched her walk across the floor.

Dr. Anderson stopped at the door and turned toward him to laugh. "Oh, Anthony. I'm going to show you that you have a new boss, now," a bright smile lit her face. "Goodnight," she said, shutting the door.

Sammy watched the entire scene unfold. Rocking back and forth, he repeated, "I told you to do what she says. You'll learn to do what she says." The man seemed to have retreated into his own world, where he laughed every so often and mumbled to himself.

A paralyzing fear gripped Tony as his mind started racing on its own accord. What if no one knew he was here? What if they didn't care? Maybe they were glad he was gone; McGee and Ziva always complained about how annoying he was anyway. Who put him in here? Was it his father? _Was it Gibbs?_ Gibbs wouldn't do this to him, would he? Gibbs cared about him, right? The boss didn't think he was crazy, did he? _Then why doesn't he come get me out?_

_"Because he isn't even real," Dr. Anderson's soft voice whispered back to him._ _"I'm your boss now, Anthony."_

The list of questions rolled on and on, beyond his control to stop them. DiNozzo didn't know how long he lay there trying to shut down the words and phrases that randomly shot through his addled mind. _"Please come get me, Gibbs," _he finally begged silently, as he curled up on his side and stared at his clearly mad roommate through the rails of the bed. _"Please make this stop."_

The field agent finally fell asleep to the sound of Sammy's laughter.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: **_**I do not own or profit from NCIS.**

_**Author's Note:**_** Remember as you read this that we can't have Gibbs and Co. find Tony too quickly, or all the fun is over. Also, Abby and Ducky do get involved around Ch. 5, so we get all our favorite characters (except Palmer, he has to hold down the fort in DC) before it's over. And we still have lots of Papa Gibbs and Hurt Tony to come. Oh and the coffee scene might seem insignificant, but it's important later on-just an FYI.**

_**Thank you**_** for all the reviews and alerts! It's so wonderful to know there are people enjoying the story—it gives me courage to write more!**

**Keep reviewing—I really love to hear from each and every one of you! **

"Dr. Emily Anderson," McGee stated, turning the computer for Gibbs and Ziva to see the woman's image. "She runs the Glenwood Psychiatric Hospital which specializes in the mental health issues of wealthy clients. The names of some of the patients reads like a who's-who of old money. Unfortunately, her hospital isn't doing so well right now, and they are close to filing for bankruptcy. It seems the doctor has taken out several second mortgages."

Ziva continued, "She's been dating Evan Davenport for the past three years. They've been engaged for the last six months."

"How about her medical license? Any unusual complaints or accusations on her record?" Gibbs asked. This woman didn't feel right to him.

McGee punched a few more computer keys. "Several patients admitted to her hospital with mild disorders ended up dying under strange circumstances. It appears there was never enough evidence to pursue any charges. There are also numerous accusations of patient abuse at the hospital, all unsubstantiated," McGee looked up at Gibbs. "She doesn't sound like a very nice woman."

"Ya think?" Gibbs stated, eyebrows raised.

The Lead Agent stood. "The two of you, find Davenport and start tailing him. I want to know everywhere he goes," Gibbs directed. "I'm going to pay a visit to this hospital and interview Dr. Anderson. Maybe I can get something out of her about what happened to Tony."

Ziva paused as they prepared to leave. "What do you think they've done with Tony?" she asked their boss. "It's been several days now with no sign of him. I mean, you don't think….." her words trailed off. She glanced down worriedly, not sure of what else to say.

Gibbs gazed at her with his deep blue eyes. "He's alive, Ziva. I'd know if he wasn't. But I'm not sure how long he's going to stay that way, so we need to work fast to find him. Ok?" he gave her a small hug. Even though inside he was starting to fear the worst for his agent, he had to show a strong front for the rest of the team. And he truly believed that if Tony were dead, he would feel it.

"Ok, Gibbs," she replied with a small smile, relying on his gut to guide them in locating their partner and friend.

As Gibbs walked toward his car, he strengthened his resolve to find Tony no matter what he had to do. DiNozzo was the closest thing to a son he was ever going to get, and he didn't think he could handle burying another child.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Tony leaned heavily against the doorframe of the room. The previous night had been an ordeal, the medication causing him to both panic and hear voices. It hadn't been a pleasant experience. He wasn't sure how long they kept him out this time, but his body continued to feel sluggish and weak. Sammy was nowhere around, but the federal agent had found a thin blue robe and slippers, which he put on to venture out into the rest of the hospital.

After walking a few feet, he stopped to recover some of his balance. He had to prevent them from giving him any more drugs, or he'd never be able to either get out of here or contact Gibbs. If he could somehow get a message to the older man, it would just be a matter of time until he was out.

Tony continued his unsteady walk out into the main room. Several patients were sitting at tables or shuffling around. A nurse's station was along the far wall, situated next to a set of heavy doors that required a code to open. The windows were high up on the wall, with solid bars covering the thick glass. _"They certainly don't want anyone to get out of here," _Tony observed unhappily. He saw Sammy seated at a table across the room with a few other patients, and decided that would be as good a place to head as any. A few feet closer to his destination, he once again felt his equilibrium shift, and he reached out for the back of a chair to steady himself. "You need to be careful, Tony," a soft voice chided, as an arm wrapped around his waist.

"Hey, Amanda," he said.

"Hey, yourself," she replied. "Are you sure you should be out of bed?"

"Just help me over to that table," he inclined his head to indicate where he wanted to go.

"Alright," she smiled at him. It was really hard for her to believe this sweet attractive guy was actually a violent schizophrenic. She supposed those unattractive tendencies were being masked by the medications they were giving him.

As she helped him sit down at the table, Sammy's eyes lit up. "Tony! They didn't kill you last night!" he was very excited by the fact his roommate was still alive.

Amanda shushed the man, "Sammy, no one is trying to kill Tony, we're just trying to help him like we did you. Please don't say things that could scare him."

"Yes, ma'am," Sammy conceded.

"Thanks," she smiled. "I'll be back to check on you guys in a few minutes."

Tony appraised his new roommate. "Why do you think someone is trying to kill me, Sammy?" the agent asked.

"I overheard them. Dr. Emily, Sylvia, and the other man. They were out in the hallway talking about how they need to drive you crazy or kill you," Sammy replied. He leaned in close to Tony, "I don't think they'll be able to drive you crazy, so that means they'll have to kill you."

Tony contemplated this information. At least the mental patients believed in his sanity. He still had no idea how he had gotten into this place or who was responsible for sending him here. His recent memory provided nothing but holes. Was someone really trying to kill him?

Sylvia and an orderly approached them. "Dr. Anderson would like to see you, Anthony."

Tony eyed them warily, "I think I need to re-schedule our appointment. I'm getting a mani-pedi later today and just won't have time to fit her in."

The orderly grabbed him roughly under the arm and jerked him from the chair. Sylvia approached the federal agent. "You're quite a smartass, aren't you? Don't you worry, we'll take care of that habit soon enough," she patted him on the cheek. "Let's go."

As the orderly pulled Tony from the room, Sammy whispered again, "Just do what they say, Tony. Just do what they say."

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Dr. Anderson stared longingly at the pictures in the folder. Over the years, there had been many favorite patients, men she had grown fond of and worked hard to help. All had ended up disappointing her, and she had been forced to leave them. Maybe Anthony would be different. Maybe he would be the one she could keep with her, if only he would accept her help. When she and Evan decided to use the young man to get Trudy's inheritance, it had never occurred to her that Anthony might be special. Evan was a means to an end; she didn't really care about him and she definitely didn't love him. But Anthony….she was looking forward to spending more time with him.

Emily smiled as the door to her office opened and Sylvia brought him in to her.

The doctor's office was filled with leather, wood, and old books. If Tony wasn't currently being held against his will in a mental institution, he would have admired the warm tones of the space. Dr. Anderson turned and gave him her shark like smile as he was lowered into a chair across from her desk. "Syliva, you can leave for now. I'll call you when I need Mr. Harrington taken back to his room," she said.

"Are you sure?" the nurse asked. "We can at least wait outside in the hall."

Emily glanced over at the man seated before her. His right eye was surrounded by a large purple and green bruise. The cut across his temple was held together by numerous stitches. His skin was pale, and despite attempts to hold his posture straight and convey a sense of strength, her trained eye picked out the slight tremors and disorientation. She had been ordering extremely high doses of medication, which his body would be unable to fight. She smiled again, "Waiting in the hallway will be fine."

Tony was once more rubbing his pounding head. He needed to be on his toes for dealing with this woman, but it was a struggle to even get his eyes to focus. She sat on the edge of the desk across from him.

He met her gaze with his own. "It doesn't matter how many times you call me Mr. Harrington, I know that's not my name. You aren't going to convince me otherwise," he told her. "And I don't really know what you're trying to accomplish. Most people think I'm a little nuts anyway, you'd just be confirming it for them."

She studied him. No wonder Evan was jealous. Even in his current state of disarray and confusion, the federal agent still maintained an air of power and courage. The shadowed eyes and slight vulnerability only added to his attractiveness. Yes, she could totally understand why Evan hated this man. She found herself fascinated by him.

"Anthony, you sound like you don't want my help," she said serenely. "I'm only interested in making you well." She could sense the frustration building in him at her words.

"I don't know how you got me in this place, or why. But I know that I'm not crazy, you are the crazy ones. I don't have a brother, so whoever brought me here has kidnapped a federal agent, which is a serious crime. I only hope you aren't an accessory to that crime," he challenged her. "If you just let me contact my boss, we can get this straightened out and you won't have any trouble."

Her appraisal of him continued, "You are a very stubborn man, Anthony. I rather enjoy helping very stubborn men realize they don't know as much as they think." She stepped closer to him. "I have no intention of letting you make a phone call or leave this facility until _I_ feel you are ready to do so. And that requires you to give up this federal agent delusion and accept your actual identity."

"Then maybe you can let me in on that identity, because obviously I don't know what the hell you're talking about," Tony snapped at her.

She paused, "I know what happened with your parents; that your mother died when you were small and your father abandoned you a few years later."

"You don't know anything about me," DiNozzo growled at her.

She ignored him, "It's actually quite logical for you to latch on to this Gibbs character; he replaces all those people in your life who turned their backs when you needed them most. Who better to always be there than a red, white, and blue marine?"

DiNozzo shifted in the chair, "Don't talk about things you don't understand." She didn't know anything about his life. She didn't understand his relationship with Gibbs or why it was so important.

The doctor stood and walked over to him. "All you have to do is take my help and I'll make all your pain go away," she proposed, running her red nail down his cheek. "Once you do, I'll take care of everything for you." She could feel his heart-rate quicken at her closeness.

Tony closed his eyes, trying to push down the anger welling up inside. He wanted to attack her; he was growing more and more agitated and wasn't sure if it was him or the drugs making him feel that way. He knew she was baiting him, trying to illicit a reaction to help reinforce the idea that he was unstable. To try and settle his nerves, he stared out the window at the parking lot outside. _"Of course, her windows don't have bars,"_ he noted.

A figure crossing between the cars outside caught his attention. Pulling himself up, he used the desk for support as he moved closer to the window.

"What are you doing?" Emily asked. "Sit down immediately." She grabbed his arm and started to pull him away from the window. He pushed her with as much strength as he could, knocking her flat to the floor. She gasped at his action.

"It's Gibbs!" he cried out, once again moving toward the window. "He's here! You have to let me talk to him!" Tony made it to the other side of the room and started pounding on the glass. "Boss!" he yelled, not knowing whether the silver-haired man could hear him or not. "Over here! Boss!" he saw Gibbs slow and stop, as if listening. Tony pounded again and yelled, "Gibbs! It's Tony!"

Suddenly, thick arms wrapped around his body, dragging him back from his only chance to contact the ex-marine. "Let me go!" Tony yelled, kicking out at the muscled orderly who pinned his arms to his sides. "Let go of me, you bastard!" He glared at Dr. Andrews who was watching him with interest. "See! You know I'm telling the truth, you know that's him and he's here to find me!" Several other orderlies, along with Nurse Sylvia, swarmed into the room.

As anger and adrenaline coursed through him, Tony only fought harder. _"I've got to stay here until Gibbs gets into the building! If I create enough noise he's bound to find me,"_ Tony thought desperately. He thrust his head back at the man holding him from behind, busting the man's nose and causing blood to pour over them both. The orderly let go and covered his face, cursing. Picking up a nearby vase, Tony broke it over the head of another approaching orderly, sprinting from the office into the hallway. He stumbled slightly as he ran, the drugs in his system affecting his balance. It was enough hesitation for a security guard to rush forward and tackle the former football player, pinning him to the floor.

"No!" Tony shouted. "Get off me! Gibbs! Boss! Can you hear me? I'm in here!" Several more orderlies joined the tussle, one holding his arms and another sitting on his legs. Dr. Anderson and Sylvia approached the fighting man; Tony spat in Emily's face before Sylvia pushed his head down and held it still.

He saw the needles come out again. "Don't," he pleaded. "Just let me talk to Gibbs. He'll be able to explain everything. Don't knock me out again. I…..I can't…..do this….anymore," he felt the adrenaline wearing off as Dr. Anderson shook her head, then mercilessly stabbed the hypodermic into his arm. _"No, no, no, no," _he thought. _"Gibbs is here. He's here to get me."_

As the medication filtered into his system, Tony's struggles grew feeble and weak. A gurney had been brought in, and he was lifted onto the bed and strapped down securely, despite his frail protests. "Gibbs," he moaned. "Please, Gibbs. Where are you? I just need to talk to him, Emily," he pleaded, his incoherent thoughts focused only on seeing his boss. His green eyes reminded the doctor of a young boy begging to stay up late after dinner. She stroked his brown hair gently, experiencing a remote twinge of compassion for her new pet. "Why won't you let me talk to him?" he asked again, no longer able to process what was happening. "Please let me talk to him," he nearly begged. "_He's so close. He's here. He's found me," _his mind rambled.

The doctor continued to stroke Tony's head, smiling into the emerald eyes that were now glassy and unfocused. "It was just a hallucination, Anthony," she cooed. "Gibbs is not real, and he isn't here. Now that you've calmed down, we're going to help you forget all about him. I promise," she said, as they rolled the gurney back toward the ward and further away from the ex-marine. _"Yes," _she decided, _"if I want to keep you, then you have to forget all about Special Agent Gibbs."_

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Gibbs paced impatiently. The secretary said that Dr. Anderson was with a patient and would need a few minutes before she could meet with him. That had been nearly thirty minutes ago. The Lead Investigator contemplated pushing his way through the security doors and going to find her himself. Fortunately, the doors finally opened and she came into the waiting area.

Gibbs made a quick observation of the woman. She was tall, thin, and very attractive. Chestnut brown hair waved to just below her shoulders and her skin was a dark olive. Chocolate brown eyes, which sparkled at the sight of him, set off her overall striking appearance.

"Agent Gibbs? I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting. We have a patient who has been having a…. difficult time adjusting to treatment, and I didn't want to leave until we had him settled. I hope you understand," she indicated, offering her hand.

Gibbs returned the handshake. "Is there somewhere private we could talk?"

"Of course," she offered pleasantly. "Follow me."

They entered a small conference room. "What is it I can do for you? I must admit I'm very curious about your visit," she explained, walking over to a small coffee pot. She poured two cups. "Cream? Sugar?" she asked.

"Black," he responded as she handed him a cup. "I'm investigating the disappearance of another NCIS agent. He was last seen at the home of your fiancé, Evan Davenport," Gibbs informed her as he sat down at the table and crossed his legs.

"An agent? Are you referring to the young man who was executing Trudy's will?" she asked. "I met him at the funeral. Umm, what was his name? Anthony…."

"DiNozzo," Gibbs supplied the last name, and offered her a picture of Tony.

"Yes!" she said gazing at the picture, "that's him. He seemed to be a very polite, nice man. I really didn't speak to him much, so I'm not sure what kind of help I can offer you."

"I was wondering if you could tell me about Evan's relationship with Tony. We've been told Evan was unhappy about his lack of inheritance," Gibbs described.

Anderson smiled again. "I hope you aren't implying that Evan had something to do with your agent's disappearance. I can assure you Evan has been with me most of the time since Trudy passed away, and beyond that he would never harm someone else just for money," she defended.

"I'm sure he wouldn't, Dr. Anderson. But we have to follow-up on any possible leads at this point," Gibbs reassured her. "Is there anyone else you could think of who might benefit from having Tony out of the way when the will is executed?"

"Not that I'm aware of, Agent Gibbs," she replied, a bit more formally.

Gibbs looked around. "This is a very nice facility you have here," he commented blandly. "Are you doing well?"

Andrews narrowed her eyes at the loaded question. Considering her answer, she finally replied, "The economy has been difficult for everyone, Agent Gibbs, us included. As a research facility as well as a hospital, much of our funding comes from federal grants that have not been as available recently. However, I'm confident that as times improve we will bounce back. Our services are quite unique and there is always a need for what we provide."

"What exactly is that service?" Gibbs challenged. "A place for wealthy families to hide their black sheep under the guise of mental illness?"

"That is quite enough, Agent Gibbs," she responded angrily. "I will not sit here and have you make these types of unsupported accusations. I would like for you to leave."

The NCIS Agent stood, "Don't plan any sudden trips, Doctor. I'll be back to speak with you again. And if you have any revelations, please contact me. I won't be leaving Boston until Tony is going back with me."

_"Really?"_ she thought. "Goodbye, Agent Gibbs," she said casually, showing him the door. Emily picked up the picture of Tony that had been left on the table, smiling. It would be a nice addition to her folder.

As the silver-haired man walked toward the parking lot, he couldn't shake a terrible feeling about this place. When he had walked in earlier, he could've sworn he heard someone call his name, but could see no one. The agent considered going back and demanding access to the facility, but shook his head. The doctor was too smart for that; she would force him to have a warrant. He wouldn't make it past the waiting room. _"Is it possible this is where Davenport is hiding Tony?" _Gibbs questioned. It was a very good possibility, but they would need some kind of evidence to get inside. He looked up at the imposing walls and high windows, trying to imagine his indomitable Senior Field Agent trapped in this dungeon-like place. If roles were reversed, Tony would probably launch a full-scale assault to save his wrinkled hide. _"What kind of damn investigator am I?"_ Gibbs berated himself, _"There has to something I'm missing."_

Taking one last look around, he reluctantly got in his car. _"If you're in there Tony, I am coming back to get you,"_ Gibbs swore, speeding out to meet the rest of the team and find something, _anything,_ to link Davenport and Anderson back to DiNozzo.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Tony coughed slightly and shivered. He realized he was in another cold room. Cracking his eyes open, he was met with white; white walls, white floors, white ceiling. There was a door with a very small window.

"Oh, shit," Tony mumbled out loud, when he truly processed his current predicament.

He was sitting on the floor, a tight, white straight jacket wrapped snugly around his body. Sweat was beading on his face, but he couldn't wipe it away. Tony coughed again, longer and harder this time. He leaned his head back against the softly padded wall and laughed harshly. How many people wouldn't be surprised that Tony DiNozzo had ended up locked in a padded cell? His father? Vance? Fornell? He had finally lived up to expectations.

It was tormenting to know that Gibbs had been so close, but hadn't been able to reach him. He had complete faith that his boss would figure this out and get to him, but how long was that going to take? Until then, Tony was completely at the mercy of these mad people; they could do anything to him and he couldn't fight back. To illustrate his thoughts, the door opened and Sylvia walked inside. "So how do you like your new accommodations, Anthony? I told you to learn to cooperate," she stated, leaning down next to him. She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped the sweat off his face.

"I've always had problems with authority figures," he commented glibly. "Especially the ones I think are incompetent and possibly insane."

Sylvia laughed. "You can't stop yourself, can you?" she asked. "Here, sip this." She held out a bottle of water with a straw. He was so thirsty he didn't even consider the possible consequences of accepting the drink. "Slowly," she admonished, as he coughed "we don't want you to get sick again."

"Thank you," he said, leaning back against the wall again. Sylvia tilted her head and observed him. "Amanda's right," she said. "You are extremely polite for a mental patient."

"I've been called worse," he replied.

"Dr. Anderson is coming to see you shortly," Sylvia explained. "She wanted you to have your next dose of medication before she arrives."

Tony watched as the nurse prepared another hypodermic needle. He closed his eyes and tried not to panic. He really wasn't sure how much more his body and mind could handle. "Don't you even wonder why she wants to keep me drugged?" he asked. "Isn't there some kind of Hippocratic oath or something that teaches you people this is wrong?"

Sylvia grinned. "You are a smart one," she said, reaching over to touch him. He flinched away as far as he could. "Don't fight me, Anthony. Dr. Anderson and I have had an understanding for many years, and I'm glad to do whatever she asks of me. You'll do well to remember that yourself." Using her strong hand, she tilted Tony to the side, reaching under the jacket to ease his pajama bottoms down and reveal his hip. Quickly and efficiently she slid the needle in and out of his tender skin, then moved his clothing back into place.

Tony's breathing sped up and Sylvia grew fuzzy and unclear; her voice became distorted and frightening. Tony curled in on himself, trying to get away from the sights and sounds that were magnified and overwhelming, but impossible to escape since the images really weren't there, they existed inside his own mind.

He tried to concentrate on the team and the fact he knew they were searching for him; he thought about Ziva intimidating witnesses; McGee doing his techno-geek computer magic; Abby running down prints and specimens; Ducky, well, he hoped the ME didn't have much too do on this case, since that would mean he would be dead. And Gibbs, the old bloodhound had been there today so he had the scent; he was close and Tony knew he would never give up. Emily was smart but Gibbs was….Gibbs.

Perspiration beaded on his face again and his arms began to ache. The normally hyperactive agent wouldn't be able to stand this kind of confinement very long. "They're coming,"he told the silent room. A shiver ran down his spine and his skin tingled. "Just hold it together a little while longer, DiNozzo. Gibbs is coming."

Dr. Anderson glanced through the small window and saw the trembling Anthony, eyes closed, talking to himself. Turning away, she smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: I do not own or profit from NCIS**_

_**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I was really surprised by how many people think the story is really creepy (in a good way). I hope it continues to entertain you! I guess I'm unleashing my inner horror writer, and poor Tony has to go along for the ride! In Ch. 5 the investigation starts to make progress, Abby and Ducky get involved, and Gibbs comes closer to his show down with Evil Emily! (BTW, I'm posting this at 6:00 am before a two hour drive to a very boring training. I probably could have revised more, but I wanted you to have this chapter today)!**_

_**If you enjoy, as always review, review, review!**_

"Tell me you two have something, McGee," Gibbs demanded as the junior agent answered his phone.

"Um, I guess we have a little something," the younger man stammered, shrugging at Ziva, knowing the boss wanted anything that could help them find Tony. "We followed Reynolds to Aunt Trudy's mansion. He's been inside now for about an hour."

"Dammit!" Gibbs shouted through the phone. "We've got to search inside that house!"

McGee put the call on speaker. "We could always break in," Ziva said thoughtfully. "Nothing we find would be legal, but at least we might uncover something about where Tony is being held."

The two agents could hear tires squealing as Gibbs continued driving. "That's a last resort, Ziva, but at the rate we're going, we might not have a choice. Something's got to break soon! Those two are definitely involved in whatever happened to Tony," he paused. "Let's meet back at the hotel, I want to see if we can find anything else on this Anderson woman. She's in this up to her neck, I can feel it."

"We're on our way," McGee replied, ending the call and pulling out in the rented sedan.

"He sounds very upset," Ziva observed.

"Yeah, well, you know him and Tony, they have that special thing, I don't know what it is. You have to admit, Tony always gets away with stuff that Gibbs would kill the rest us for. It's always been like that between the two of them," McGee shared. "I honestly can't imagine what Gibbs would be like without Tony around, can you?"

"I don't know if Gibbs would ever get over it, especially if he can't do anything to help Tony," Ziva concurred. "He would never forgive himself. You know how he gets even when Tony gets hurt; if something worse happened?" She shook her head. "We have to find him McGee—for Gibbs, for all of us."

Tim was silent for a few minutes. "Would you ever get over it?" he asked her softly, not turning his head to see her expression.

Ziva looked out the window. "No, probably not," she answered honestly.

"Me either," McGee agreed quietly.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Gibbs would never let the junior agents know, but he was almost frantic. They really had nothing to go on at this point beyond hunches and his gut. Without something solid, there was a real possibility they might not find Tony. Gibbs slammed his hand into the steering wheel. That was just not an acceptable option. He had to do something to find his Senior Field Agent before it was too late. He had lost Shannon and Kelly, then Kate and finally Jenny. There was no way he was going to add Tony to that list.

The older man remembered Tony as his Probie, the way DiNozzo had stared at him with those green eyes like Gibbs was sharing words of ancient wisdom at every crime scene. The younger man had learned the rules like a little boy memorizing Bible verses in Sunday School. He had never told Tony, but no one else knew all the rules, not even Stan Burley had been able to recite them all. But Tony could. Some people thought the Field Agent was just trying to impress his boss and get in the ill tempered man's good graces, but Gibbs knew the truth. Even though they had never talked about it, and probably never would, he knew that Tony respected him, and admired him, and hell, even loved him. That's why Tony always jumped to drive the van, and be the first to a crime scene, and yelled out "On it, boss," ten times a day. That's why Tony had passed up his own team in Rota, and every other promotion that came his way. Even now, almost ten years after his first days as a Probie, Tony still looked at him the exact same way. The only other person who had ever had that kind of faith in him was Shannon.

The old marine didn't love many people, it was an emotion far too costly, and he had already paid too great a price. But alone, in the silence of his car, Leroy Jethro Gibbs could admit to himself that he saw Tony as the boy he and Shannon could have had if things had been different, and he cared about him just as much.

If Tony ever died, it would be in a brave and noble act worthy of the Senior Field Agent, not at the hands of these greedy, self-indulgent, worthless people. Not this way, not without any meaning. Nothing and no one was going to stop him from bringing his agent home.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Tony was still in the white room. He had come to several times, but didn't stay conscious long. The silence was oppressive and his body ached from lack of movement. _Houdini_ with Tony Curtis had been one of his favorite movies as a kid; Houdini made escaping from straight jackets look easy. Mel Gibson had worn a straight jacket in _Lethal Weapon 2_; he dislocated his shoulder to get out of it. DiNozzo didn't think that would work for him, since every strap and buckle had been cinched tight without any mercy. His arms, which were wrapped snugly around his chest, tingled from lack of circulation. The latest "cocktail" Sylvia had given him left him so weak and disoriented he didn't dare try to stand up without being able to use his arms for balance. So he stayed propped against the wall and drifted back to sleep.

_He was being chased down a dark street. The only lights were from the windows of houses Tony could look inside. For some reason, even though he was running, he could still see the people inside the homes very clearly. In one window, a family was sitting down to dinner. In another, a young couple was dancing and laughing. The next window held an older couple, reading books and talking softly._

_Tony wanted to stop running and ask them for help. But he didn't really know what he was running from, and somehow he realized the people in these houses weren't going to help him anyway. So instead of slowing down, he kept going. Another window displayed McGee and a pretty young woman. They were cooing over a baby. In the next he found Ziva, watching movies with a handsome man and laughing. They all looked so happy; they had families and people to love them. Tony tried to run harder, to get away from the images that weren't meant for him._

_His pursuer was gaining ground; Tony could hear the footsteps growing closer. No matter how fast he ran, the assailant never gave up, but just kept coming. Finally, Tony tripped and fell heavily to the ground. His pursuer ran up out of the shadows as Tony rolled over to see…himself? His own face was distorted with hysteria, almost sobbing, "You'll never have that life, Anthony! It wasn't meant for you, so just give up!" He looked around; Gibbs was there, Abby, Ziva, Tim, Ducky, Vance—his father. They were all pointing and laughing at his foolishness. They had been laughing at him all along. They knew he was a fake and a phony. The laughter continued, growing louder and louder until that's all Tony could hear, drowning out the voices around him._

"No," Tony muttered in his drug induced sleep. "Stop, please, stop."

Evan Davenport was leaning over the agent, observing his cousin's weak struggles and soft mumbling. "Do you think he knows we're here?" he asked Emily.

"I doubt it," she replied. "We've given him so much medication I'm surprised he can even sit up."

Trapped In his nightmare, Tony was struggling and pulling at the jacket, every now and then moaning something incoherent. "He doesn't look so good, Emily. What do we do with him now?"

"I have a few more treatments in store for our fine federal agent. In a few days he won't be able to remember anything about us or himself," she stated coldly.

"And after you've screwed up his mind? I just want to make sure I completely grasp what you plan to do then," Davenport asked.

"Then, my sweet," Emily walked over and gave Evan a peck on the cheek. "We drop him somewhere outside of the DC area. Once he's been found and declared mentally incompetent, you'll be named executor of the estate. After that, it's just a matter of declaring the will void based on your mother's incompetence at the time of writing it, and we'll be well on our way to splitting twenty million dollars." She glanced over at Anthony. "_That had been the plan," _she thought. "_But things have changed now." _Smiling charmingly, she rubbed Davenport's arm. He was so easy to deceive.

"Beauty and brains, quite a combination," Evan said admiringly. He bent back down to study Tony, tilting his chin to the side. "I always hated him growing up. He had such an easy way with people; everyone wanted him on their teams, he won at everything we played, even my own mother liked him better. I can't say I'm not enjoying this little situation."

As he started to stand, green eyes opened to stare at him. "Evan?" Tony whispered weakly. "Evan? Why are you here? What's going on?" DiNozzo tried to look past his cousin to see who was also in the room. Through his blurry vision, he could make out shapes. One looked like Dr. Anderson. From his disadvantaged position trussed up on the floor, Tony tried to wrap his mind around this latest turn of events. He narrowed his eyes, "You're behind this."

Evan laughed. "I guess you really are a trained investigator, Tony. You figured that out pretty quickly," his cousin teased. "Now, I'm going to leave you here in the lovely hands of my dear Emily, and I'll trust that she'll take care of you for me. After all, we are family."

Davenport stood. "Let's get out of here before anyone notices us, especially that damn Agent Gibbs. He's never going to get off our backs," Evan complained. He glanced back at his cousin, "Bye, Tony, maybe next time we'll meet under better circumstances. "

The conspirators left and shut the door behind them, leaving Tony once more in solitude. The agent stared ahead; the visit had broken open Tony's faulty memory; he now recalled what had happened to bring him here.

_"This is your fault, DiNozzo! If you hadn't always been trying to suck up to my mother she would've left it all to me like she was supposed to! But, no! Dear sweet Anthony had to keep coming around, reminding her of what a disappointment her own son turned out to be," Evan shouted._

_Davenport picked up a crystal vase and threw it at the wall, "And now millions of dollars are going to her dogs! Her fucking dogs! Do you know what a laughingstock that makes me! My own mother preferred her pets over her own son! I'm ashamed to show my face in public!" Evan was shaking with rage. _

_Tony tried to be understanding. "Come on, Evan, it's not like my Dad didn't pick a string of divorcees over me. I know it sucks, but I still have to do what Trudy wanted," he explained. "You'll have enough money to get started, build your own career…."_

_"Are you nuts?" Evan yelled. "At my age? I already have a career and that's taking care of mother's estate. Well, that was my career until she fell for you, Agent DiNozzo."_

_Tony had listened to enough, "Look, Evan, it is what it is. Having a temper tantrum isn't going to change anything. So I suggest you accept the situation and move on." Tony turned to leave the office. Before he had taken two steps, a blinding white pain seared through his head. His knees buckled as he gasped and fell to the floor. Pulling his fingers away from his temple, he saw they were covered in blood._

_"Evan, what…what are you doing?" Tony asked, seeing his cousin standing over him wielding a nine-iron. "This will only make….things worse," he choked out. _

_Evan grinned, "Maybe for you Anthony, but not for me." Tony watched as the golf club come speeding toward him. This time the darkness that swallowed the federal agent did not go away._

Sitting helplessly in the cold, quiet room, Tony understood just how dire his situation had become. He honestly didn't even know what day it was. How long had he been here? He coughed again, trying to keep his tenuous hold on reality. But the drugs continued to pulse through him, and they whispered that he was forgotten, and alone, and no one would ever find him. Tony closed his eyes and tried to sleep, hoping to shut down the voices that were telling him he really was crazy, and this is where he belonged.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

As the Lead Agent arrived at the hotel, his phone rang. "Gibbs," he answered tersely.

"Agent Gibbs? My name is Detective Riley with the Boston PD. I believe you had a BOLO out on a missing car belonging to an Anthony DiNozzo?" he asked.

"Yeah, did you find it?" Gibbs adrenaline raced at the possibility of a break.

"Yes, sir, we did. I'll give you directions if you'd like to come over and process it," the Detective offered.

Gibbs got the directions. "We'll be right there," he announced, bounding up the stairs to get Ziva and McGee. This was the first real lead they had since Tony disappeared.

Unfortunately, the car didn't provide much information. Tony's beloved Mustang had been burnt to a crisp. Gibbs sighed and took off his ball cap, rubbing his forehead and staring at the car that meant so much to the Senior Field Agent. He threw his cap on the ground and kicked it. "Dammit," he yelled, unable to contain his frustration. They still had nothing; they were no closer to finding Tony now than when they arrived in Boston days ago.

McGee shook his head; Tony had loved that car. Seeing it destroyed was just a reminder that his partner was in serious trouble. "How could we have no idea what happened to Tony? I bet Abby could still get something off that car; we need to get her up here," he told Ziva.

"We need to do something," Ziva agreed. "Right now we have not done anything to help Tony. It's like the ground just opened up and swallowed him."

Gibbs walked over, rubbing his head and carrying his dirty and battered cap. "What now?" Ziva asked. Gibbs contemplated her question, his expression a mixture of fury and despair.

"It's time for a serious heart-to-heart with Evan Davenport. The kind of talk that won't be admissible in a court of law," Gibbs declared, his ice blue eyes flashing coldly.

Ziva nodded in agreement and McGee cleared his throat. Evan Davenport had no idea what was coming for him.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Emily unlocked the door and walked back into the padded room. Several hours had passed since she left for lunch with Evan, leaving Tony alone to consider his situation. He was huddled in the corner with his back to her, unmoving at the sound of her entrance.

"Anthony," she said, bending down beside him. "Can you hear me?" As she reached out to touch him, he rolled toward her, skin pale and clammy. He was breathing in short, shallow gasps broken by weak coughs. She patted his cheek, "Anthony, wake up for me," the doctor requested. She could see his eyes moving rapidly beneath his eyelids; slowly they cracked open.

Tony was aware that someone was holding him, but he couldn't make out who it was. He felt so bad; like his heart was going to explode and his lungs were collapsing. He couldn't move, which added to his panic and made him feel like he was suffocating. "I… I can't breathe," he whispered. "Please….." he coughed again and sagged against her.

"Ok, sweetheart, Emily's here. I'm going to help you," she assured him. She gently lay him on the floor and ran to the door where she grabbed an orderly. "I need a nurse in here now!" she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," the orderly replied, rushing to do as she asked.

Emily returned to her patient, who hadn't moved from where she left him. "Come on, sweetie, just hang in there. I'm going to get you out of this jacket," she consoled. It took her a few minutes to undo all the buckles and straps; when she finished his sweaty arms fell limply to his sides. His pulse was thready and weak; his green eyes refused to dilate. The doctor had to support him so he wouldn't slide into the floor.

"Emily?" he asked, trying to understand what was happening. "Emily….what….." there still wasn't enough air in the room. His chest heaved painfully.

"Yes, Anthony, I'm here. I'm going to take care of you now. You were a bad boy and had to be punished, but now I'm going to make it all better. Do you trust me?" she asked soothingly.

Tony was very confused. First she had tried to hurt him, but now she was going to help him. It didn't make sense. She had taken the jacket off so he could move again, and he was so glad she had done that. He felt someone lifting him, followed by the sensation of moving. Then something was being pressed against his face. Oxygen. He could feel it forcing its way into his lungs so he could breathe again.

He blinked his eyes open and saw her looking down at him, her face filled with concern and worry. "It's going to be alright now, Anthony. You just have to trust me, ok?" she asked again.

"Ok," he replied from under the mask. He felt so weak and tired, it was impossible to fight her anymore. She had helped him, and that was all that mattered right now. Dr. Anderson took his hand in hers and smiled triumphantly. They still had a long way to go, but it was definitely a first step.

Emily glanced over at Sylvia, who was adjusting a saline drip and monitoring the patient's vitals. "The last dose of medication must have been too much for him, we need to lower it the next time," she said to the nurse, who nodded. "Let's keep him in here through tomorrow morning. I don't want to risk him crashing again."

Sylvia stood next to her mentor and friend. "I'm guessing this is your latest project?" she asked.

Emily smiled at her, "We haven't had anyone special for a long time now, Sylvia. But look at him, he's perfect." She turned to beam at the nurse, "I think he might be the one I've been searching for."

Sylvia smiled back. She had been with Emily for many years, and greatly enjoyed the little games they played. This could turn out to be one of the best. "I hope so, Emily," she agreed.

The doctor moved back to the now sleeping man. "I have to go finish my rounds, Tony, but I'll be back to check on you soon," she kissed his fingers before walking out the door.

Sylvia pulled a blanket over Tony. "I just hope you're stronger than the last one, or this won't be much fun at all," she said.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

The team followed Evan through the streets of Boston. Davenport had been running errands; stopping at the bank and the post office.

"He has a fairly boring life for someone who thinks so highly of himself," McGee pointed out.

"Yes," Ziva agreed. "You would think he would be living high on the dog."

Gibbs glanced at McGee. "Um, it's high on the _hog, _Ziva, not dog," the junior agent corrected.

"It does not matter. It still seems he should be at a country club or a charity event, not going to the post office," she said.

Gibbs slowed down, "This is a little more interesting." Davenport pulled into the parking lot of a high-end workout facility. "Maybe I could find some time to chat with him in here."

"Are you sure about this, Boss? One of us could go in with you," McGee offered.

The ex-marine was already parked and out of the car. "You worry too much, Tim. I'll be fine," Gibbs reassured him.

McGee glanced at Ziva. "It's not Gibbs I'm worried about," he said nervously.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Evan Davenport adjusted the weights on the bar and positioned himself to complete the bench press. As he lowered the weights to his chest, an additional force began pushing down making it impossible for him raise the bar back to its original position.

"How ya doin, Evan?" asked the man pushing the weight down on his chest.

"Agent Gibbs?" Tony's cousin squeaked, clearly afraid. "What do you want? You shouldn't even be in here!"

"Being a marine has its privileges. I can almost always find another jarhead to give me a break if I need one. And it's very important that I talk to you, Evan," Gibbs explained easily.

Evan squirmed, trying to move himself out from under the bar. Gibbs wouldn't let it budge. "You see, Evan, I believe you're involved in Tony's disappearance. As a matter of fact, I think you're behind the whole damn thing. And I just needed to let you know that if any harm comes to Tony, you're going to have me to answer to," Gibbs pushed down on the bar a little harder, cutting off the man's intake of oxygen. Evan's eyes grew wide. _"Maybe this crazy marine will kill me,"_ he thought, staring at the icy blue gaze.

"Why do you care so much anyway?" Davenport gasped out. "He's just one of your team; he could always be replaced."

Gibbs shook his head and looked to the side; someone was approaching them. Quickly he lifted the weight off the insipid younger man and dropped the bar to the floor. Davenport sat up and rubbed the bruise on his chest, "I should call the police! This is harassment!" he exclaimed.

The former gunnery sergeant leaned over in Evan's face. "You have no idea what harassment is. If even one hair on Tony's head is out of place when I find him, I'll show you more harassment than you could ever imagine," he roughly shoved the man back down on the bench.

"I've told you, Agent Gibbs, I have no idea where Tony is," the younger man stated.

"What about your girlfriend? Does she know anything about Tony's disappearance?" Gibbs pressed. "If we searched that hospital of hers, would we find any sign of him there?

Davenport glanced away, only for a second, but it was enough for Gibbs to pick up on his deception. "So now you're accusing my girlfriend? Give up, Gibbs. You've got nothing," he responded.

"I know you were involved, and I will find what I need to connect you to this. And for the record, DiNozzo is not replaceable. So you better not make me have to try. I will be very, very upset," the older man turned to leave. "Think about it, Evan. Is whatever you're doing with Tony worth having me on your back the rest of your life?"

Evan watched the older man leave, and wondered if Gibbs had a point.

_NCISCNCISNCIS_

Dr. Anderson walked into the infirmary to find Amanda with an unconscious Anthony.

"How is he doing?" the doctor inquired.

Amanda glanced up, "He's been asleep since I came on duty. He seems pretty weak."

The young nurse actually thought he looked worse now than when he'd been brought in days ago. He was extremely pale and appeared to have lost several pounds since his arrival.

"When did he last eat anything?" Emily asked.

Amanda considered her question. "I'm not really sure," she replied. So much had been happening no one had considered if he'd eaten.

The doctor called the kitchen and ordered something soft to be brought in; a few minutes later some pudding and juice were delivered by an orderly.

The psychiatrist gently nudged Anthony awake; after several tries his eyes fluttered open, settling on Amanda and the doctor.

"Are you feeling any better?" Emily asked her patient.

Tony blinked, trying to wake up. "I guess," he replied thickly.

"Good," she responded. "We need you to eat something. You haven't been eating; it's part of the reason you feel so weak."

Now that he considered it, Tony was hungry, but even as his stomach rumbled nausea made him feel queasy and unsure if he could eat.

The beautiful doctor smiled kindly and began spoon feeding him bites of pudding. Tony accepted it hesitantly, the food sitting heavily in his empty stomach. After a few minutes he shook his head and Amanda grabbed a basin, seconds before he started throwing up.

Emily clicked her tongue and turned to gather some supplies. "If you can't eat Anthony, we'll have to tube feed you this evening," she informed him sweetly.

"Do….you have to?" DiNozzzo choked out. This was not on his list of fun things to do.

"Do you feel like you could try to eat again?" she questioned softly.

Tony considered her question and shook his head no. The thought of food still made him sick.

The doctor frowned, "Then no, we don't have much choice. I can't let you starve to death." She looked over at the nurse, "Amanda could you place the tube, please?"

The pretty nurse patted Tony's arm. "I'll be as gentle as I can," she said reassuringly.

He trusted Amanda, but the feeling of the tube going down his throat made him gag. Emily gave him some water as Amanda finished inserting the tube and attached it to the IV like bag. She raised the bed so the food wouldn't make him choke.

Dr. Anderson smiled, "Take good care of him, Amanda. I'll check in again soon." She touched Tony on the arm before leaving the room.

Tony tried to get a grip on his thoughts. The longer he was here, the more confusing everything became. Despite the help the doctor had just given him, she was also the person who had kept him from Gibbs and locked him up. _"She's the reason I'm still here," _he reminded himself.

"Amanda," he said, gently taking her hand. "Will you promise me something?"

"I'll try," she answered sincerely.

"I know you don't believe that I'm a federal agent and that I'm not supposed to be here. But if something really bad happens, and I can't do it for myself, will you promise to try and find Gibbs for me? Please," he insisted softly as she started to interrupt. "His name is Leroy Jethro Gibbs. He works for the Naval Criminal Investigative Services in Washington, DC. He has silver hair and blue eyes and is the toughest old bastard you'll ever meet." He smiled at the thought of his boss, "I don't think I could make that up if I tried."

She squeezed his hand, sensing the emotions that were very close to the surface, "I promise, Anthony. Now get some rest, ok?"

He closed his eyes and thought about where the team was right now, and if anyone was still looking for him. He remembered how Gibbs had refused to give up when searching for Kate's killer; he knew that his mentor would never give up on him, either. His faith in Gibbs never wavering, Tony just wondered what he was going to have to do to keep Emily happy until the ex-marine finally found him.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: **_**I do not own or profit from NCIS.**

**_Author's Note:_ Thank you so much for yesterday's reviews! They were a nice way to come home from a long and boring day! I'm glad you're staying interested-there are nine total chapters (it won't take that long for Gibbs to find Tony, but that nasty Emily sticks around the whole time-lol). I hope you enjoy the addition of Abby and Ducky to the team; I can't go too long without those two around! **

**_Review_-Let me know what you think will happen and if you like it :) **

**_I love to hear from you!_**

"Anthony? Can you hear me?" Amanda tried to rouse the young man from his deep sleep.

Tony opened bleary eyes and looked around, somewhat confused by his surroundings for a moment. Then he remembered. It was like this every time; the drugs made it difficult for him to retain any recent information. "Oh, Amanda, hi," he said.

The nurse smiled and brought him some water. "I wanted to tell you my shift is over and I'm going to have to go home. Dr. Anderson said she was going to keep you here the rest of the night, so you should be fine until I get back in the morning," she explained.

_Dr. Anderson. There was something Tony needed to remember about Dr. Anderson. He couldn't make his mind think of it. Dammit! _He smashed his fist into the bed. _Evan_….the events from earlier finally came flooding back to him.

"Is everything alright?" Amanda asked, concerned with his agitated response.

"I'm sorry," he said. "It's not you; you've been wonderful and I'm really grateful for your help. It's just all these damn medications she's pumping into me! I can't think straight. I can barely stay awake for more than five minutes." He toyed with the IV line, considering whether or not to just rip it out of his arm. "Can't you see she's doing this on purpose?" Tony looked up at Amanda imploringly. "I know this is hard for you to believe; you're used to dealing with delusional people all the time, so why would you think I'm any different? I have to give Dr. Anderson, credit, her plan is fairly brilliant. She's arranged it so no one will take me seriously." DiNozzo rubbed his forehead and sighed in frustration.

"Anthony, I want to help you, I really do, but this is my job. I don't want to risk losing it," she apologized.

Tony half-smiled at her. What was happening to him wasn't her fault. "It's ok, Amanda. You've done plenty. Just remember your promise about my friend Gibbs," he said. She opened her mouth to interject, but he cut her off, "You don't have to say if you think he's real or not. Just make sure that if the time comes and I can't do it for myself, you'll do it for me."

"I promise, Tony," she gave him her word. "I'll see you first thing in the morning."

After the nurse left, the NCIS agent considered what to do about Emily. She seemed much more interested in him than for just her plot with Evan. The psychiatrist looked at him like he was some kind of tasty appetizer; maybe he could use that to his advantage. He leaned back against the pillows, trying to decide what to do next that wouldn't get him sedated, restrained, or killed.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

"Who was that?" Ziva asked as Gibbs hung up his phone.

"Boston PD. They found some personal effects in a downtown dumpster. Looks like they belong to DiNozzo," he answered. It felt strange that he was talking about Tony's things like random pieces of evidence. "They're taking the stuff into their station, we're going to meet them and help with identification."

As they peeled from the hotel parking lot, Gibbs called out to McGee, who was currently using both hands to brace himself against being jerked from side to side. "Get Abby on the phone!" the Lead Agent demanded.

McGee pulled out his own cell and dialed. "Abs? The Boss wants to talk to you," he explained. "Here you go, Boss."

Gibbs glanced over his shoulder. "Put it on the speaker thingy," he said.

"Hey guys," Abby's voice could be heard throughout the car. "Any news on Tony?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.

"We're looking into a lead now, Abby, but I need your help," the silver-haired man said loud enough to be heard on McGee's phone. "I know you can't get up here in time, but I want one of our own to go over this evidence. Do you think we could fax or e-mail it or, hell, whatever it is you people do, so you can review Boston's work?"

"I can do you one better," Abby replied. "I can do it myself, in person."

"Abby, I appreciate that you want to help, but we can't wait seven hours for you to drive up here. We need information ten minutes ago," he explained to the Goth scientist.

"But, Gibbs, I can meet you at the Boston PD in thirty minutes!" she countered.

"Abby, even I can't drive that fast," Gibbs stated, as he took a corner on two wheels and McGee turned a shade of lime.

"Of course I can't!" the Goth agreed. "That's why I left six hours ago!"

"You did what? You're almost here? Abby, what is going on?" he demanded.

"I'm sorry, Gibbs. But I had this feeling that you needed me, and then I did Tony's tarot cards, and I knew that I had to be there! And see, I was right! It's kind of like your gut, Bossman, and I just had to go with it," she explained. "Oh, and um, Ducky's with me."

"Hello, Jethro!" the Scot added in, "I certainly couldn't let Abigail go running off on her own. I decided it would be best to leave young Palmer in charge and accompany the lass. Just to make sure she stays out of trouble, of course."

The blue-eyed man shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Of course. Ok, you two meet us there. Maybe this is the break we need to find Tony," he said. _"If not, I'm afraid DiNozzo's time might be running out," _he silently reprimanded himself. His gut churned again as he worried about what might be happening to his friend right now. _"I'm going to find you, Tony,"_ he swore again, lips thinned into a grim line. _"I'm going to find you."_

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Tony had been awake for several hours; Amanda had already paid him a visit and then left to finish her shift when Dr. Anderson entered the infirmary. "And how are you feeling this morning?" she asked cheerfully. Tony met her question with an icy stare. "Hmmm," she said, "Refusal to communicate. That's not uncommon in individuals with your diagnosis." She took out a stethoscope and bent to listen to his chest. Tony reached out a hand and grabbed her wrist. She looked down curiously, "Feeling better, it seems."

"Don't," he said. "We both know this is all pretense, so I'd prefer if you touch me as little as possible. I haven't forgotten my chat with you and your conspirator yesterday." The memory of Evan bashing him with the golf club was fresh in his mind. Emily had obviously helped his cousin hide him in an attempt to access Trudy's inheritance. Even though the Senior Field Agent needed to ensure Emily didn't get angry with him again, he felt compelled to confront her about what she had done.

Emily gave the agent a calculating stare, and bent down near him. "It is not my intention to let you die, Anthony. Unexpected deaths are bad for my business. Plus, if you haven't noticed, I've taken quite a personal interest in you," she said, a faint smile brushing her lips. "So I'm going to do what I have to in order to keep you alive, although somewhat less cognizant than your usual self. I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable." She nodded her head, and an orderly walked over and removed Tony's hand from her wrist. After finishing a quick check of her patient, during which Tony stared at the ceiling and chewed his lip in an attempt to ignore her, she unhooked the IV, but left the port taped to his arm, "just in case it's needed again later." Tony understood the not so subtle hint.

Just to prove a point, the psychiatrist ran her hand through his hair; she felt him stiffen, but held her hand behind his head and appraised him. Under the bravado, she observed his continued delayed reactions. Smiling at his discomfort, she wrapped a thin rubber tie around his bicep. "I need a few blood samples to test the effectiveness of the medications I've been ordering for you. They're my own combination, and I want to see how well they're working," she explained, as she filled several vials with his blood. Tony looked away and refused to meet her gaze.

"I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed in your attitude today," she told him. "I thought you would be more appreciative of my concern after I took care of you yesterday." She sighed with disappointment.

Tony decided it was time to play along. "You're right," he said, taking her hand again, but gently this time, "I should be more grateful. I'm just tired of being stuck in here. If you could consider releasing me, maybe then," he paused and gave her his best DiNozzo puppy dog eyes, "we could get to know each other under more normal circumstances."

Emily considered his statement. "Soon, Anthony. Give me time to see if I can trust you and that you're in the right state of mind," she said, squeezing his hand. "I've been thinking a lot about our future together." Tony smiled at her again, but swallowed hard at those words, _our future?_

The doctor continued unphased, "I'm going to let you join the other patients for breakfast this morning and see how you do with less supervision for a while. But first," she picked up another full needle, "you need another dose of your meds. This works better in the muscle, so I didn't think the IV would be necessary." Tony looked from the beautiful doctor to the goon standing next to her. He could feel his face turning red before he could stop it. The NCIS agent was unaccustomed to not being in control and having to let these people do things against his will was embarrassing.

"There's no need to blush, Anthony. We've seen it all before," she said, grinning wickedly. She pulled down the waistband of his pajama pants, rubbing his skin with an alcohol swab. He lay perfectly still as her soft fingers caressed him longer than was necessary. He closed his eyes and tried not to breathe, waiting for her to stop. Without warning, she thrust the needle into his hip, causing him to gasp at the unexpected pain. Based on the syrupy sweet smile that never left her perfect rose colored lips, Tony felt she enjoyed this sadistic behavior almost as much as her sidekick, Sylvia.

Now, Tony sat at one of the small tables in the dayroom staring at a cup of jello and twisting the plastic identification bracelet on his wrist that read _Anthony Harrington_. Amanda had stopped by to tell him she had to leave for a while, but would be back that evening. Having at least one sane person to talk to gave the field agent a bit of comfort considering the situation. After running his hands through his hair for the tenth time in an hour, he noticed they were shaking. _"Shit,"_ he thought, _"if I wasn't crazy enough before they threw me in here, I'm definitely going to be crazy when I get out."_

Even though several hours had passed, he was still unable to escape the drowsy and disorienting effects of the medication. He had no idea what Anderson was giving him, but he was certain that with each injection he felt more tired and sluggish than with the last one. His skin felt warm and clammy. There had to be some type of dosing regulations they were breaking. He fought against the urge to just lay his head on the table and go to sleep; he needed to think of something he could do to try and get out of here, or at least contact Gibbs or one of the team. Dr. Anderson walked by several times, glancing at him with a dewy eyed expression. Tony smiled and waved his fingers at her, somewhat sickened by the unwanted attention.

Sammy sat down across from him, "Hey, Tony, your friend Gibbs hasn't come to get you yet, huh?"

Tony made eye contact with the man, "No, Sammy, not yet. I think he needs some help to find me."

"I waited on my Dad, but….he never found me," Sammy said sadly. "I've been here a long time." The other man hesitated. "You remind me of Jake, Dr. Emily's last favorite patient."

"Who?" Tony perked up, paying attention. "Her favorite patient?"

"Yeah," Sammy explained, glancing around and leaning forward to whisper. "She always has a favorite patient. Jake was here for a while, then he went away, but I don't know where." Sammy leaned close to Tony's face, studying him closely. "He looked like you."

"_What is this woman's game?"_ he questioned. _"I can't wait around here to find out."_

Across the room he noticed a nurse laughing and looking around guiltily. She had her hand to her ear and was quietly talking on a cell phone. After a few minutes, the nurse nervously said goodbye and slipped the phone into her pocket.

Pick-pocketing the cell phone would normally be no problem for the Senior Field Agent; today, under the influence of a concussion and a boat load of drugs, nothing could be taken for granted. Seeing few alternatives, DiNozzo decided it was worth the risk. Carefully, he stood, first making sure his balance would hold for the walk to the other side of the room. He swayed a little, but Tony was certain he could make it, _he had to make it_. He neared the nurse as she talked to a patient; Tony executed a well-timed stumble and managed to fall into her, grabbing at her scrubs to keep his balance. "Hey there," the nurse said, taking his shoulders and helping him stand upright. "You need to be careful, Mr. Harrington, we don't want you to hurt yourself."

"Sorry," Tony mumbled. "I'm ok now." He smiled disarmingly. "Just lost my balance a little," he laughed with embarrassment.

"It's ok, honey," she said. Reviewing the man's rumpled appearance, stitched forehead, and black eye, she felt sorry for the young patient who looked like he'd had a rough time. "Why don't you go back to your room and lie down for a while? Maybe you'll feel like walking around some more later."

"Yeah, I think I will. Thanks," he smiled again and shuffled back toward his room.

Rounding the corner of the hallway, Tony straightened up and steadied his gait. He might be half-filled with some unknown medication, but obviously Dr. Anderson had never partied with him on spring break or seen him down sake bombs. He had built himself a fairly high tolerance level, and he only had to keep himself together for a few more minutes. DiNozzo grinned at the cell phone cupped in his hand.

"Now I just have to find a safe place to make a call," he said quietly, placing a hand on the wall to steady himself as he headed to a small alcove between rooms.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

The Boston Police Department allowed Abby the use of a small lab. All the evidence found in the dumpster had been tagged and was spread around the table. Abby's eyes were filled with tears as she ran her hands along her friend's possessions.

"They even threw away his toothbrush," Abby said softly. "Tony loved to brush his teeth. He had perfect oral hygiene. It's what gives such a great smile." Gibbs placed his hand on her shoulder as tears welled in her dark eyes.

"We'll find him, Abs. I swear. We just need to work the evidence until we turn up the piece that leads us to him," Gibbs encouraged her. He kissed the side of her neck. "Then, whoever has him will have to pay."

"Right. I have to find something in here to help Tony," she agreed stoically,wiping away her tears. "And I won't stop until I do." She punched play on a portable CD player she brought with her and blaring music filled the room.

Gibbs smiled, "Atta girl."

Walking over to confer with Ziva and McGee, the Lead Agent's phone rang. He tilted his head at the unknown number. "Gibbs," he said gruffly.

"Boss?" said the voice on the other line. "Boss, it's me, Tony."

The Lead Agent nearly dropped the phone. Somewhere in his mind, a tiny corner that feared he would never see the Senior Field Agent alive again, sighed with relief. Outwardly, he was all business, "Tony! Where are you? We've been searching for you all over Boston! Are you ok?" he asked, not trying to keep the worry from his voice.

There was a brief pause, "Um, yeah I'm ok, just being held prisoner by some crazy woman who keeps drugging me." Gibbs noted the words sounded thick, somewhat slurred; not at all his agent's normal voice.

"Where are you?" Gibbs prodded; he needed information as quickly as possible. There was no way to tell how long Tony would be on the line and they needed an exact location in order to help him.

"Sorry, Boss, but I…..I don't really know," Gibbs listened as Tony paused, trying to come up with something helpful. "I don't even know how long I've been here. It's…all pretty…. confusing," he admitted. The muddy water in his brain made coherent thought difficult. There was a tone of fear and apprehension in Tony's voice that Gibbs rarely ever heard; it tore through him harsh as thunder; it made him want to shove someone's head into a wall.

"Tony, we're here in Boston, but we need to know your location, can you tell me anything that might help us find you?" Gibbs gently urged. Life and death hung on this conversation.

"I'm in some kind of….Boss," DiNozzo whispered. Gibbs heart plunged at the sound of despair from his young friend. "I think someone's behind me."

There were a few seconds of silence. "Tony! Tony! Answer me!" the Lead Agent yelled. He clutched the phone like it could somehow save Tony from whatever was about to happen. The Lead Agent had actually stopped breathing; everyone else in the room watched the now pale white marine in complete silence, afraid any sound would drown out the answer Gibbs desperately waited to hear.

Instead of a reply, Gibbs heard a gasp and what sounded like a body hitting the floor. The line went dead.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs shouted, ready to throw the now silent phone across the room. A gentle hand circled his wrist and stopped him. He looked down to see Abby's large brown eyes.

"We might be able to get a trace," she explained, gently easing the phone from his claw-like grip. Gibbs stood stock still in the center of the lab, fists clenching and unclenching, as anger, rage and desperation boiled through him. Abby wrapped her arms around the older man. "It's ok," she whispered, feeling the fine tremors course through his body as she lay her head on his shoulder. "We'll find him."

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Amanda walked back onto the floor to a whirl of activity. Many of the patients were yelling, others rocking, some staring straight ahead. The noise of their agitation echoed through the open room. A group of nurses and orderlies were gathered in the corner. "Please," one was saying, "please, just calm down and let her go!"

"I keep telling you, I am calm!" the patient yelled, not calm at all.

Amanda stopped and listened, was that Anthony?

Sylvia was standing near the front of the crowd. "You don't want to hurt her, Anthony. If you hurt her, you might never get out of here," she tried to convince him. Sammy stood near her, arms wrapped around his chest and mumbling, staring fixedly at his friend.

Tony had been pushed completely over the edge. The drugs, concussion, and confinement had left him with little self-control. "All I wanted to do was call my Boss! That's all. If she had just let me do that, everything would be fine!" he cried out. Hearing Gibb's voice, being so close to getting out of here, it was just too much.

Tony had his arm around Dr. Anderson's neck. He held an empty syringe next to her jugular. One bubble of air into the vein and she could be dead. The patient was sweating, and his normally calm green eyes roamed around the room. They had a wild edge Amanda had seen in patient's before when they experienced psychotic breaks. She wasn't sure what had happened while she was gone, but it must have been really bad.

One of the orderlies moved in closer to Tony and his hostage, "Don't even think about it!" Tony yelled. "Stay away from me!" Amanda could see his pulse pounding in his bulging veins as the tip of the needle dug into the doctor's skin. "I'm getting the hell out of here! The doc can come with me dead or alive, I really don't care."

He leaned close to Emily's ear. "I swear if you try anything funny I'll drop you without a second thought. Now walk," he whispered.

Dr. Anderson didn't doubt that he meant what he said. She took several hesitant steps forward. The crowd separated to let them through. "Anthony," she said softly. "I know you're angry, but I helped you, remember? When you needed it, I took care of you. How can you forget that now?"

Tony paused, confusion clouding his thoughts. She was the cause of all this. She was keeping him here. But she had helped him. Why? The doubts crept in again. He shook his head, trying to think clearly.

Amanda glanced toward the hallway, where several shadows moved. Stepping back slightly, she saw armed security guards waiting for Tony and the doctor to pass by. They held weapons ready; Amanda was sure they meant to kill.

"Anthony," she said, as he moved closer to her. "Anthony, it's Amanda."

Tony stopped to look at her. "Amanda," he said softly. Compared to all the shouting he'd been doing, the gentle tone nearly broke her heart. "I…." he paused. "I don't want to hurt anyone…." He glanced down at Dr. Anderson, whose dark eyes were filled with an unreadable expression. Excitement? Concern? "They…want everyone to think I'm crazy, but I'm not. You believe me, don't you? I don't know why I'm here. It…..it's all a mistake." He shook slightly.

Dr. Anderson shifted, and Tony tightened his grip on her neck. He shouldn't have had the strength to put up this much fight, but adrenaline mixed with panic and rage were fueling him. "She wants to…..give me more shots; tie me up….I can't let….her do that…," he explained, wanting the only kind person he had met there to understand.

Amanda could see his grip on the doctor loosening; she could hear the fatigue edging its way into his voice. Closer to him, she recognized that the sweat beading on his face was from more than exertion, but also from a fever that flushed his skin and clouded his eyes. "Tony, I won't let them hurt you, I promise. Please, just let the doctor go and let me help you," she pleaded. He appraised her skeptically. She had helped him, and he wanted to believe her. But everything in this place was based on lies; why should she be any different?

The young nurse knew the one pledge that would surely convince Tony to let the doctor go. She hesitated to make it, but in the end knew that if this continued Anthony would certainly end up dead. "I'll contact Gibbs for you, Anthony. I'll make the call myself," she said.

Tony hesitated. He was so tired; he wasn't going to be able to hold on much longer anyway. If Amanda would help, would just get Gibbs for him, then he could sleep for a while and would feel much better. It would be so nice to go to sleep.

She watched as his hand shook and the needle fell from his grip. Instantly, his eyes rolled back in his head and his body went completely limp, falling heavily to the floor, where he shook for a few moments then went completely still. "Anthony!" Amanda cried, and rushed the few feet toward his side, but strong hands stopped her and pulled her back. Dr. Anderson was rubbing her neck and staring down at the unconscious and completely vulnerable young man. Amanda could see the dark anger brewing behind the physician's brown eyes. "Bring him," she said to two orderlies. "It's time I show Anthony who's in charge once and for all."

Amanda could only watch as Anthony was placed on a gurney and wheeled away from her, down a corridor where she could provide him with no protection, and could not keep her promises. She had lied to him, and now he was at their mercy. Sylvia shook her head in disgust as she walked past the young woman, who had sunk to her knees on the floor, crying.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer:**_ **I do not own or profit from NCIS.**

**__****Author's Note:** **I'm glad so many of you wonderful readers are still enjoying this story! Gibbs and the team are very close now, but as I said in my replies, Emily will not let Tony go that easily! She has many, many plans of her own...and in many ways she is as much Gibb's nemesis as she is Tony's. There is more whump ahead, and I do promise chapters at the end to deal with the physical and psychological issues resulting from the situation. (But just to ease your minds, the rescue is very, very soon).**

**Yesterday's reviews were very fun to read and reply to, _thank you _for taking the time to comment :) Keep them coming!**

**Let me know what you think about what Emily does today...**

Gibbs, McGee, and Ziva sat around a table in the Boston PD break room discussing the phone call from Tony. Abby and Ducky were still working in the lab. Tracing the call had proven fruitless; the phone was a pay-by-the-minute variety with no registered user. All they could determine was that it, along with hundreds of others, had been sold at a local Wal-Mart. Now, they were trying to identify any piece of information that could get them closer to finding the missing agent while Abby finished processing the evidence from the dumpster.

After the phone went dead, the ex-marine had come close to breaking down; at this point, he was completely desperate. He had replayed every moment of the conversation over and over in his mind, even though every time he could hear that _sound_ in Tony's voice. He could practically feel his protege pleading for help from him, even when the words were never stated by the stubborn Senior Field Agent. The lines of worry seemed etched into the Lead Agent's face.

"There was nothing to give us an exact location, Gibbs," Ziva commented, her own voice heavy with concern. "Tony alluded that he was being held by someone drugging him, but that is not enough evidence for us to go barging into that hospital." She not only worried for Tony, but for the silver-haired man as well. She hadn't seen this type of encompassing grief and obsession since Gibbs had been searching for Ari all those years ago.

Gibbs swirled the coffee in his ever present cup. "The woman he mentioned has to be Evan's girlfriend, the doctor, Emily Anderson. McGee, is there any way to get a patient list for her institution?" the older man asked.

"Not without a warrant, Boss," McGee replied. "I mean, I could probably hack into their system, but anything I find wouldn't be legal." He waited for Gibbs to indicate what he wanted the junior agent to do.

"Can you get in without getting caught?" Gibbs asked. His primary concern was helping Tony, but it wouldn't be fair to risk McGee's career in the process.

McGee grinned, glad to be able to help. "Of course I can. It's not like trying to get into the Pentagon or some other top-secret agency," he replied.

Gibbs nodded. "Alright then, do it," he ordered. "Ziva, Ducky, and I are going to pay another visit to the Glenwood Psychiatric Hospital. We might not be able to gain access yet, but at least we can rattle her chain some, see how she reacts."

McGee touched Gibb's sleeve as the agents prepared to leave. "Uh, Boss," he said, somewhat insecurely. "How did Tony sound? Was he really ok?"

Gibbs saw the look of concern in Tim's blinking eyes. Despite their constant joking and harassment of each other, he knew the junior agent was deeply worried about Tony. Gibbs didn't want to scare the young man, but he didn't want to lie to him either. "I've never heard him like that, Tim. I don't know what they've done to him, but…we need to find him soon," the Lead Agent said honestly.

McGee nodded. "Ok, Boss. Ok," he said. No matter how much crap he and DiNozzo spewed at each other, Tim still cared about and, although he never admitted it to Tony's face, respected the Senior Field Agent. "At least we know he's alive."

Gibbs patted the younger man on the arm before they headed out the door to try and rescue the one friend, who, in one way or another, had always been there to rescue each of them.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Tony felt like a heavy weight had been laid on top of him. It wasn't that he was in pain, he just felt oddly disconnected, as if every part of his body weighed a thousand pounds each. He could breathe, but it took great effort to make his chest rise and fall. With intense concentration he found he could wiggle his toes, flex his fingers. Those were accomplishments, he supposed. He could hear the beeping of a heart monitor; that would be his, he guessed.

Why didn't Dr. Anderson just kill him? Why go through all this trouble? He had faced death before, usually in a more intense, in the moment fashion, but he had decided that would be preferable to this long, drawn out process of one step forward, two steps back. In a way, he felt like he kept dying, and they kept bringing him back. _"Kinda like James Bond in Die Another Day," _he thought. An unpleasant hysteria crept through him, but he was incapable of the laughter that should accompany the movie reference.

With nothing else to do, he decided it was time to work on his eyes. The simple act of opening them seemed so simple, so easy. But it took a very long time to finally get them to raise a tiny bit. His vision was blurry, however he soon noticed things. His good friend the IV line was back, dripping some obnoxious potion into his arm. He could feel the cold liquid entering his vein, pictured it circling through his body, spreading its poison into every crack and crevice. The straps were back, too. Dr. Anderson was taking no chances after his latest adventure. _"Sadistic bitch," _he cursed. It made him feel better to call her names, even if he was the only one to hear.

They had once again taken his clothes; he was back to the hospital gown and was naked underneath. It was a good thing he didn't mind taking off his clothes, but he had to admit to himself that knowing he had been undressed by someone, probably Emily, added to his feeling of helplessness. As a psychiatrist, it made sense that the doctor would know how to break him down; he recalled reading something about how prisoners-of-war would have their clothes taken away to make them feel less than human.

He tried to remember exactly what had happened before he woke up here. _He had talked to Gibbs. _It had been so good to hear his boss' voice, if only for a few minutes. It was obvious Gibbs didn't know where he was; to be honest his boss had sounded pretty distressed. Tony knew he hadn't had time to tell Gibbs anything useful about his location. _"Damn, stupid drugs," _he thought, cursing the medication that were fogging his mind. The field agent felt terrible for scaring the older man; after the orderly had grabbed the cell phone from his hand, Tony had been able to hear Gibbs shouting his name.

After that he kind of lost it. He remembered fighting with several orderlies and security guards, then Emily had stepped in and tried to give him another shot. Somehow he managed to get his hands on an empty syringe, fully intending to kill the doctor. He should have done it. But then Amanda had promised to call Gibbs. He wondered if she really would; she probably would have said anything at that moment to get him under control. But the adrenaline had dropped out of him so quickly, he wouldn't have had the strength to follow through with anything anyway. A shiver suddenly coursed through his bofy; they hadn't even covered him with a blanket. Tony was vaguely aware that he had a fever; he was freezing one minute and burning up the next. He felt a twinge in his chest and the heart monitor sped up a little, the beeps crowding very close together, before evening back out again.

Staring at the ceiling, Tony blinked. _"DiNozzo's don't cry," _he reminded himself of his own personal rule. A hacking cough tore through him, and the heart monitor raced again. _"They've dosed me up good this time," _he thought, swallowing in a dry throat and breathing out slowly. It occurred to Tony that each time he closed his eyes there was a chance he might not wake up, that the medication Emily was giving him would prove too much for his body to take. There were a lot of things he would still like to do in his life, things that he always thought he could do later. He'd like to think he would've made a good dad, since he had learned what not to do from his own father and what he should do from Gibbs. If Emily had her way he would probably never have the chance.

Sleep tugged at him again and he knew there was no way he could fight it back; despite his best efforts to stay awake his heavy eyes once more drooped closed.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

The wide-eyed receptionist stared at the silver-haired NCIS agent with unabashed fear. The man had been yelling for the last ten minutes. She had called for Dr. Anderson several times, but the hospital director had yet to appear.

Ziva and Ducky observed their boss with a mixture of amusement and uncertainty. "He is quite worked up, isn't he," commented Dr. Mallard.

"Yes, I think he is trying to be intimidating," Ziva agreed.

"Based on the poor secretary's expression, he's succeeded nicely," Mallard concurred.

Gibbs was shouting again, "I demand to either see Dr. Anderson immediately or be given complete access to this hospital! Someone needs to make a decision now!"

"There's no reason to frighten my staff," a cool voice said from behind him. "Follow me and we can discuss your concerns in a quieter setting." Emily moved down the hall expecting the agents to follow her.

Stepping into an office, she waved her hand for them to be seated. "I see you've brought more of your team with you today. It's a pleasure to meet you." She offered her hand to the new visitors.

"Agent Ziva David and Dr. Donald Mallard," Gibbs introduced.

"Oh, another doctor, how pleasant!" she exclaimed.

"Dr. Mallard is our medical examiner and a forensic psychologist; he's consulting with us on this case," the Lead Agent explained.

The doctor leaned back in her chair and appraised the guests. "I still cannot imagine what you need to discuss with me. I already informed you that I have no information regarding your agent's disappearance," she said easily.

Gibbs paced through the office. "We received a phone call from Agent DiNozzo earlier today. He mentioned that he was being held somewhere by a woman who had been drugging him. Would you know anything about that?" he asked, glaring down at her threateningly.

Emily laughed. "Now why would you automatically think of me? I have no idea what you are talking about, Agent Gibbs," she said. "It sounds to me like your agent got himself into a bad relationship; maybe he was referring to a girlfriend and sex play. What do you think, doctor?" she gazed at Doctor Mallard.

The ME met her eyes, "Anthony has never been one to engage in activities of that nature, and I would be surprised if he started now. However, I do find it interesting that you would make such a provocative suggestion with such little information."

The doctor pursed her lips. "It seemed a logical idea considering the agent is a healthy and handsome young man," she countered. "But, as I said, I have no idea what is going on with Agent DiNozzo. You're wasting your time here."

Ziva was watching the other woman with unguarded anger. "He is here, Gibbs. I know it. We should search this hospital and find him," the Israeli stated fiercely.

"No one is searching my hospital without a warrant. We have our patient's privacy to consider. So unless you have the appropriate paperwork, I think it is time for you to take your unfounded accusations and go," the psychiatrist said icily.

Ziva stood to approach the woman. Gibbs held out a hand to stop the young agent. He walked over to Dr. Anderson himself and chose his words carefully, "Tony is very important to me—to all of us. I believe that he is here, and I am telling you that if you harm him in any way, I will spend every day of my life making sure that you are punished for it. Do you understand me?"

Emily was not to be intimidated. "You like to huff and puff and scare people, but inside you're very afraid that you'll never see your missing agent again. If that happened, would you spend the rest of your life punishing me, or punishing yourself for not helping him?" she asked accusingly. Gibbs clenched his teeth. "As I said before, I'd like you to leave now, or I'll have to call the police and have you escorted out."

"Come on," Gibbs said, in a low voice, ushering Ziva and Ducky out of the office.

"What do you think?" the agent asked Mallard as they walked out. "Did you get a read on her?"

"She appears quite intelligent, but also quite self-absorbed. She seemed to very much enjoy baiting you, and very keen on turning our attention to other possibilities than herself. She also seemed to enjoy controlling the situation, and not at all interested in helping find Tony, which you would have expected from a person in the medical profession," he answered. "If she is involved in what happened to DiNozzo, she is a frightening individual, practiced at utilizing the psychological issues of others to her own advantage."

Ziva was staring at the stone building. "We can't leave him in there," she said emphatically. "We have to get him out." She turned to face the Lead Investigator. "I will not go without him."

Gibbs placed a hand on her shoulder, his blue eyes compassionately meeting her own. "I don't want to leave either," he said. "We will get him, Ziva, we will. But right now, let's convince the doctor we're willing to keep looking elsewhere. I don't want her to get spooked and hurt Tony."

Ziva nodded reluctantly. "I promise you Gibbs, if we do not have anything by tonight I will come back, even if I have to do it alone."

Gibbs squeezed her arm, "You won't be alone."

Emily stood at the window and watched the NCIS agents leave. If she intended to prevent them from taking Anthony away from her, she was going to have to do something about Special Agent Gibbs.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Dr. Anderson watched as Anthony blinked his eyes open to find her staring at him.

Tony eyed the doctor warily. "Why are you….doing….this?" he asked. "Is money….that important…to you?" He was unable to hide the weariness in his voice.

Emily absently stroked his arm, ran her fingers along the straps holding him to the bed. "I thought Evan was the solution to my financial issues. He assured me when his mother died he would inherit all her assets. Obviously, that turned out to be incorrect," she laughed. "I can't always find financing for my work, so much of my own money has been spent in this hospital. I need to pay back several loans in order to continue my research. The drug I have been giving you could possibly be a huge gold-mine, but the process to get it approved by the FDA will take years. However, there is always the possibility of selling it overseas." She picked up a thermometer and checked his temperature, frowning at the result. "That's why it's necessary to get some human data. You've helped me a great deal with that."

Tony sighed. "What if it kills me?" he asked. He really hadn't planned on being a guinea pig for her.

"I know you don't believe this, but I care about you," she answered seriously. "I won't let you die."

The agent wasn't reassured. "So, what now?" he wanted to know. He was dangerously close to falling asleep again.

The doctor bit her beautiful lip. "You aren't going to like what I need to do next," she said sternly. "But it is for your own good."

That woke him up. He turned his head to look at her better. "You do know I'm not crazy, right?" he reminded her.

She laughed again. "Maybe not technically, but you do have some issues, Anthony. I would like to help with those problems."

"What are you going to do?" he asked nervously. Weakly he pulled at the straps, as if to remind himself that he couldn't stop her sadistic plans.

"I'm going to pay a visit to your friend, Agent Gibbs," she said softly.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked with concern. "Why?"

"I want you, Tony. I want you to stay with me. But as long as Gibbs is out there searching, I won't ever completely possess you. There will always be the chance that he can take you away from me," she leaned over and removed the straps from his arms and ankles then unhooked the IV. Tony watched her smooth movements through narrowed eyes, not able to figure out what she was doing. "I'm going to make sure that Leroy Jethro Gibbs is no longer a problem for us." She kissed him on his warm forehead, then smiled as she turned to leave.

"What exactly does that mean? No longer a problem?" he asked frantically. "What are you planning to do?"

"I've killed many people in my life, Anthony. I'm actually quite good at it," she smiled again. "Gibbs won't be expecting me to come after him; it will make things much easier."

"Don't hurt Gibbs," DiNozzo pleaded, struggling to sit up. "I'll do anything you want. I'll go away with you, be your personal little pet." He closed his eyes against a wave of nausea. "Just please, leave him alone."

She stepped to the door of the small room. "I'm very experienced at this, Anthony. I assure you, he will feel little pain. I'll be back soon," she glanced at him sympathetically, then shut the door behind her.

Tony sat there for a few moments, his mind swimming. She was going to kill Gibbs. He made his way to the door, pulling at the handle. It was locked; he tugged with what little strength he had. "NO!" he yelled, pounding. "NO! Someone, please stop her! Help!" he screamed. The sound bounced around the room, none of it escaping through the walls to the corridors outside.

Tony turned and leaned against the wall, sliding down to the floor. He pulled his hair with his hands. He had no doubt Emily could kill Gibbs; she was completely and totally insane, and capable of anything. His Boss, the one person in the entire world who had always been there for him, always believed in him, always put up with him, was about to die. And Tony, trapped in this hellhole, could do nothing to stop it.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Abby and McGee jumped up to greet the returning agents like two excited puppies.

"Ya got something?" Gibbs asked.

"You first," Abby told McGee.

"No, Abby, you worked really hard, you go first," the junior agent deferred.

"But, Tim…." Abby began.

Ziva watched the two of them with a frown on her face. Gibbs shook his head. "McGee, go first!" he shouted.

"Oh, ok," McGee stammered. "Well, I got a list of patients at the Glenwood Hospital." He hesitated. "Tony isn't on the list, but, several days ago they admitted someone named Anthony Harrington, same age, height, weight, everything matches Tony except the name. It has to be Tony-don't you think? It all matches down to the day he disappeared."

Gibbs nodded, but still glared in frustration. "It probably is. It would explain why we haven't found any sign of Tony since Saturday," he said. "But it's still not enough for a warrant."

Abby jumped up and raised her hand. "My turn!" she said. "I might not be able to get you into the witch doctor's hospital, but I think I can get you into her boyfriend's house. I found several partial prints on Tony's stuff and after much effort I have a match for Tony's wayward cousin, Evan Davenport."

"Abby, that's great, but it's still not enough to get a warrant," Gibbs repeated.

The Goth smiled, "But wait, there's more!" She picked up an evidence bag. "This is Tony's handkerchief; you know one of those little ones that goes in the pocket of his suit? Anyway, um, it had some blood on it," she twisted her fingers together and looked down at the floor, "the blood was Tony's," her eyes were a little watery; Gibbs gave her shoulder a pat. Abby smiled up at him. "Mixed in with the blood were some unusual fibers. It turns out the fibers were from an imported Persian carpet, very rare, only a few have been sold in the Boston area, and guess who had one delivered to his office?" Abby waited, "Well, aren't you gonna guess?"

Ziva raised her eyebrows. "Evan Davenport?" she answered, stating the obvious.

Abby pointed at her. "Exactly!" she said triumphantly.

Gibbs smiled, giving the scientist a hug, "Great work, Abs."

"Can we find Tony now?" she asked softly.

"That's the plan, Abby," he replied. The older man looked over at McGee. "You, too, Tim, good job." McGee looked at the floor and grinned.

"Now," Gibbs said, "let's get a warrant and see what Evan Davenport has been trying to hide."

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Evan nervously paced back and forth across the floor of the Davenport barn. _"How could I let her talk me into this?"_ he asked himself. He had already lost the inheritance, now he was at risk of losing his freedom as well. A shaft of light shot across the room as the door opened; he saw Emily let herself inside and walk toward him. She smiled calmly and handed him a cup of coffee.

"I thought you could use some caffeine," she explained, sipping from her own cup. He sat down on a bale of hay and took a drink.

"They're at the house right now, going over everything," he told her. "I know we cleaned and removed anything that belonged to Tony, but what if they find something? You know how it is on those cop shows, they always find something," he looked at her fearfully.

"Calm down," she said. "Even if they do find some type of evidence, it's only going to be circumstantial. Just keep it together and don't tell them anything and we'll get out of this fine. Don't you trust me anymore?" she asked innocently, sitting down next to him as he continued to drink.

He didn't make eye contact. "I wouldn't survive in jail. You won't let that happen, will you?" he asked.

"As long as you don't crack, it's all under control," she informed him. Tilting up his chin she looked him in the eye. "Now get back up to the house and do what needs to be done." She took the empty coffee cup from his hand as she walked back toward the door. "I'm counting on you Evan," she said, as she slipped out.

Evan sighed and started back toward the main house.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Gibbs, Ziva, and McGee continued to scour every inch of Aunt Trudy's mansion. They finished a thorough search of the bedroom where Tony had stayed, turning up nothing. The current focus of their efforts was Evan's office. So far, it seemed there was no sign that Tony had even been in the room.

Evan stood in the hallway trying to display an air of confidence. "I told you, Agent Gibbs, I had nothing to do with Tony's disappearance. You're wasting your time here, when you could be out searching for the real criminal," he said arrogantly.

Gibbs scrutinized the spoiled twit, "We'll see," the Lead Agent replied cryptically.

McGee called out from the study. "Boss, looks like we got something," he yelled.

Gibbs stared straight at Davenport, "Oh, really?" the Lead Agent responded, stepping into the office.

McGee was holding up a golf club out of a set that had been leaned against the wall. The blue glow of luminal indicated the end of the club was covered in blood. Gibbs put on a glove, then reached out to take the nine-iron. He turned back to Davenport, who had followed him into the office. "You better hope this isn't Tony's blood," the ex-marine threatened angrily. He was growing tired of the lies.

Evan's eyes were huge. He stared at the golf club; it was only a matter of time until they matched the blood to Tony and then it would all be over._ "Stupid, stupid, stupid,"_ he said to himself. He reached up and loosened the collar of his shirt; it was getting increasingly hot in the small room. Sweat beads dotted his forehead. He could see Agent Gibbs speaking to him, but couldn't tell what the man was saying. His heart thumped wildly in his chest.

Davenport started to walk toward the hallway for some fresh air, but instead lost his balance and fell to the floor. "Oh, shit," he said. Gibbs and Ducky knelt next to him, McGee dialed for paramedics.

Evan laughed softly. "No loose ends," he coughed and sputtered. Gibbs could see Evan's heart beating through his shirt.

"Who did this?" Gibbs asked.

Evan tried to answer, but nothing came out but harsh coughing.

"Where is Tony?" Gibbs pressed, the man was obviously in distress; Gibbs had to know something while Davenport could still talk.

Evan shook his head, "Tell Tony I'm sorry. He didn't deserve this; all he ever did was treat my Mother well." The dying man struggled to take a breath, gasped. "He…he…," Evan sighed deeply and his eyes fixed straight ahead.

Ducky shook his head. "He's gone, Gibbs," the ME said.

Gibbs stood, his face a mask of grim determination.

"Help with the autopsy, Ducky. Find out what killed him. And see if you can link it back to Emily Anderson," the Lead Agent said with conviction.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

McGee waited for the barista to hand him his order. Four coffees, three with cream and sugar, one black. _"Tony would've insisted on hazelnut,"_ he thought, worry for his partner at the forefront of his mind. As he picked up the drink carrier and turned around, a woman wearing a hat and glasses bumped into him, spilling the drinks in the floor.

"I am so sorry!" she apologized. "Please, let me buy you some more; I can't believe I'm so clumsy." She shook her head in frustration. "What was your order?"

McGee wiped coffee from his suit, "Um, three cream and sugar, one black."

The woman smiled, "Only one black? Well, that makes things easy, doesn't it?"

She placed the order, then fussed over making sure all the coffees were correct before handing them back to McGee.

"Thanks," he said, smiling at the woman. "You don't know how much my boss likes his coffee."

"I can only imagine," the woman said agreeably. "Have a great afternoon."

"Yeah, you too," McGee said, appreciating that she had been kind enough to replace the spilled drinks. He headed back to the Boston PD lab.

Dr. Emily Anderson watched the agent leave.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Ducky returned from autopsy to the lab that had been commandeered by the NCIS team. McGee had arrived a few minutes before, handing out drinks. Abby sipped her gigantic CafPow.

"Thank you, Timothy," Ducky said, taking his coffee from the junior agent. "Our victim died from poisoning; it seems he ingested a rather insidious drug that mimics a cardiac arrest. It took a keen eye to find it," he explained.

"So we're looking at murder," Gibbs summarized, taking a sip of his coffee and grimacing; it was still too hot to drink.

"Interestingly, there was a high level of caffeine in the blood sample, indicating the poison could have been added to someone's beverage, like coffee perhaps," the elderly doctor continued, looking at Gibb's ever present Styrofoam cup.

The blue-eyed man raised his drink toward the medical examiner. "Yeah, well, couldn't think of a better place to hide it," he half-grinned, completely oblivious to what he held in his hand.

Gibbs raised the cup toward his lips and took another sip.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Disclaimer: _I do not own or profit from NCIS.**

**_Author's Notes:_ Wow-the last chapter got a lot of reaction! I figured what better way to try and kill Gibbs than to use his beloved coffee? As I said before, there will be aftermath and Papa Gibbs to come; after this chapter I think Tony is going to need him! **

**Let me know your thoughts-they provide guidance and best of all encouragement :)**

**Review-I look forward to hearing from you again!**

Tony couldn't make his mind stop. All he could think about was what Emily could do to Gibbs; the Lead Agent dying because of him. He would do anything to stop her, but there was literally nothing he could do. He stared at the locked door; Emily had complete control over the entire situation. Somehow she had managed to gain control over his entire life. His face was wet; he wiped his cheeks with the back of his hand. _"How could everything have turned out like this?" _he wondered.

The agent had been sitting in the floor for hours. The hospital gown he was wearing barely covered him; he was cold and shivering with fever. Occasionally his head dropped down to his chest and he jerked awake. What if Emily never came back? What if she killed Gibbs and they just left him here, where no one would ever find him? He shook his head, god, what was he thinking? If she killed Gibbs, did it matter if anyone ever found him? How could he go on, knowing that? Tony had felt guilty over what happened to Jenny, blaming himself in part for her death. But this, this was a remorse beyond anything he had ever known.

Tony pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. His heart was racing. Laying his head on his knees, he tried to control his incoherent thoughts, but instead his mind wandered. He smiled when he thought about being Gibb's probie. They didn't talk about it now, but Tony hadn't minded the time. In his eyes, Gibbs had always walked on water. The old marine had taught him everything; no one else in his life had really ever tried to teach him anything. Being the ex-gunnery sergeant's probie had been an honor and a privilege. That was why he had learned all the rules, gassed up the truck, and smiled after head-slaps. In the end, it all really meant that someone, _Gibbs_, cared. And the crusty old marine caring about him was the most important thing in his life. He would never get mad for being called Probie-he kind of missed the name; it was a term of endearment.

DiNozzo stared at the door again; he should try to do something to open it. Bracing himself with his hand, he pushed up from the floor, rising halfway before the world lurched sideways and the edges turned gray. Within seconds he found himself back on the tile breathing heavily. Tony fought back the urge to lose control. Grown men didn't cry. Tony weakly hit the floor with his fist. _DiNozzos don't cry._

If his boss died because of his failures, Tony decided he didn't want to go back. He could never face the team knowing how he had let Gibbs down. Abby and Ziva would never forgive him; McGee would give him that look that let him know just how much he'd screwed up. How could he glance across the bullpen and realize that Gibbs was gone forever? In the end, Emily knew exactly what it would take to break him; she had exposed and used his Achilles' heel. She wanted to take the one thing that gave his life any real meaning. His out-of-control body trembled again as the cold of the room seeped into his bones.

_"I can't save you this time, Boss. I'm sorry," _Tony thought despondently.

If Gibbs died, nothing really mattered anymore. DiNozzo stared at the wall, letting his mind go blank.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Gibbs tilted his cup of coffee to take a drink. McGee was watching him while sipping on his own coffee, listening to Ducky discuss the poisoning of Evan. Suddenly, McGee dropped his own cup to the floor and rushed toward his boss. "Don't drink that!" he cried out, knocking the liquid out of Gibb's hand; the Lead Agent stood shocked, almost unable to respond. "Everyone stop drinking!" the junior agent shouted, scanning around the room at his friends who were looking back with shock. They had never seen anyone knock Gibb's coffee out of his hand before.

"McGee!" Gibbs yelled. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"It was her!" the younger man said. "She spilled the coffee and then got more. She did it!"

"McGee, make sense! Who are you talking about?" Gibbs insisted.

"Emily Anderson," he shook his head trying to get his thoughts together. "A woman knocked the coffee order out of my hands and then refilled it for me. I didn't recognize her at the time because she was wearing a hat and glasses, but it was Anderson, I'm sure of it now!" McGee stated emphatically.

"How much coffee did you drink, Jethro?" Ducky asked, eyeing the silver-haired man with concern.

"Just one or two sips, Ducky. I feel fine," the Lead Agent, assured them.

Ducky picked Gibb's coffee cup off the floor; Abby collected the other cups. "I'll run these and see what I find," the pretty Goth said, stopping to stare at Gibbs, who shooed her away.

"If it was Anderson, she could have poisoned all the drinks, so we need to check everyone's," the Lead Agent informed her.

"Gotcha, Boss," Abby said seriously.

A short time later it was determined the same drug that killed Evan Davenport had also been in Gibb's coffee, but none of the others. Ducky insisted the ex-marine submit to a blood test to see if any amount of the substance could be found in his system. Gibbs continued to protest that he felt fine. "I barely took two sips," he protested.

"Let me be the judge of your condition, Jethro!" Dr. Mallard insisted. "No wonder Tony acts so unreasonably about his health, when he uses you as his role model! If you keel over from a heart attack, then who's going to help the boy?"

Gibbs acquiesced to the Scotsman's ire. "Alright, Ducky, I'll take the damn test," he gave in reluctantly.

As they waited for the blood test results, Gibbs paced the lab. "We know it's her! She must have Tony in that hospital she runs—but we still don't have anything concrete," he exclaimed, frustration and worry boiling over. "Everything is circumstantial; we can't prove anything! I'm just going to go in there and get him myself!" The ex-marine was tired of playing by the rules when it was obvious the woman they were dealing with was out of her mind.

Ducky re-entered the lab, "It appears that you are quite lucky, Jethro. Your blood test showed insignificant amounts of the poison; certainly not enough to kill you. It could make you feel a bit uncomfortable later on, but beyond that you should be fine."

"That leaves me free to plan on how we're going to break Tony out of there," the ex-marine seethed.

"You might not have to do that, Gibbs," Ziva spoke up.

The former Mossad agent had quietly been working on her laptop. "I've been trying to make a connection between Dr. Anderson and anything to give us a reason to search her facility. I think I've found something," she stated. "It appears that at every hospital, clinic, or university where she has ever worked there have been a number of men who have turned up missing. We are talking about dozens of men. She has moved about quite a bit, so I suppose no one ever considered looking at a pattern involving her."

Gibbs stepped closer to the laptop Ziva was using. "This type of pattern should be enough to at least get us in to search the facility," he said with relief.

Ziva glanced up at him, fear in her dark eyes, "That isn't all. Look at the pictures of the missing men. What do you notice?"

The Israeli began flashing pictures on the screen, one after the other.

"Oh, my gosh!" Abby cried out. "They all look like Tony!" Picture after picture of handsome young men with brown hair and green eyes appeared in image after image.

Ziva's frown expressed concern for her partner, "I believe we could be dealing with a serial killer."

Gibbs checked his Sig and looked at them all with clear determination. He was done with playing nice. "McGee, clear that warrant and get Boston PD to provide some backup," he ordered. "We're on our way to get Tony out of that place."

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Emily couldn't be sure that Gibbs was dead, but the coffee should have at least sickened him. He would need to drink a good deal of it, but the drug she used was fairly tasteless, so it shouldn't have been noticed by the NCIS agent. She needed to at least slow him down, but if he died that would be all the better. It was also important that Tony believed Gibbs was dead; his guilt over his mentor's demise would definitely push the young man further over the edge, leaving him more vulnerable to her coersion.

The doctor had to figure out her next move; it was obvious she wouldn't be able to stay here much longer. Moving Anthony would be a problem. If she continued to give him large amounts of medication it was going to start causing long term damage; he was already exhibiting signs of toxicity. But the federal agent had shown just how difficult he was going to be to control when left on his own. The pshychiatrist hadn't forgotten the incident with the empty syringe; Anthony could be quite dangerous when his mind was working clearly. She needed to do something to affect his thinking and memory that didn't require so many drugs. There was one way she knew of to do that, and she needed to get it done quickly. Sylvia joined her outside the locked door.

As the two women entered the room, Tony looked up expectantly; the satisfied expression on Emily's face told the agent everything he needed to know. The doctor bent down and gazed into Tony's green eyes compassionately; she reached out and touched the wet streaks. "It's done, Anthony. I know it hurts, but in the end you'll see that it was the right thing to do. It's just us, now. And I promise to never let you go," she smiled affectionately.

Tony just stared at her with a vacant, lost expression. She had really done it. There was an emptiness that he didn't know how to express, that he didn't even know he could feel. Sylvia leaned down and took his arm; he didn't try to resist. It didn't matter. He really didn't care. The nurse injected him with another dose of medication and he didn't flinch. He was actually glad; it was the only thing that could make the pain go away for a while.

"Come on," Emily said, noting the sweat on his brow and the shaking that he couldn't control. "You need to get up off the floor." Together, she and Sylvia helped lift him up, nearly dropping him as his weight sagged between them. The two women managed to get him back in bed; they loosely reattached the straps and covered him with a blanket. Without a word he turned his face toward the wall and closed his eyes, waiting for sleep.

Emily stroked the back of his head. "I'm going to make it stop hurting, Anthony. You'll see. I'm going to take care of everything," she promised.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Amanda glanced over her shoulder. She wasn't supposed to be in the hospital; Dr. Anderson had fired her after the situation with Anthony and told her to never step on the premises again. The young nurse just couldn't do that. She knew that Anthony needed her help. At this point she was convinced he was telling the truth; he really was a federal agent and this Leroy Jethro Gibbs was a real person.

Amanda knew she could be somewhat naïve, but after the last incident with the green-eyed patient, she had tried to call NCIS to check out his story. The receptionist confirmed that a Leroy Jethro Gibbs worked for the agency, but they had never heard of an Anthony Harrington. Amanda asked to leave a message for Agent Gibbs, who was currently out of the office. He had yet to call her back, so she decided to take matters into her own hands.

She couldn't imagine what Dr. Anderson had planned for Anthony now. The psychiatrist seemed to want to drive him crazy and torture him, all the while deriving some perverse pleasure from doing it. Amanda was going to try and get Anthony out before the doctor could hurt the young man anymore.

Amanda slipped quietly through the corridor toward the room where she hoped they were still keeping Anthony. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer as she slid through the door. Biting her lip, she shook her head at the sight of the gaunt form strapped to the bed; he looked much worse than the last time she had seen him. Dark circles were formed around both his eyes, his breathing was shallow, and he twitched and moaned every so often. His skin was bright pink and covered in sweat from an elevated temperature.

"Anthony," she whispered. "Can you hear me?"

Fevered eyes blinked open, taking a few moments to recognize her. "Am….anda?" he struggled out.

"Yeah," she smiled sadly. "I'm going to try and get you out of here, ok?" she said with determination. "I checked it out and I know that Gibbs is real."

The sound of the name was like a punch in DiNozzo's chest. "She….killed him," Tony whispered. "He's dead."

"What do you mean? You think that Dr. Anderson killed Agent Gibbs?" she knew the physician seemed out of control, but enough to murder a federal agent?

A look of fear swept across Tony's features. He tried to warn her, but couldn't form the words in time.

A large hand gripped Amanda's arm and the young nurse jumped. "What are you doing here?" Sylvia asked, dragging her across the floor. "You aren't supposed to be in this building!"

"Sylvia, please, you have to stop what you're doing! You and Dr. Anderson are supposed to help the patients, but I think you're trying to kill Anthony. Let me help him, Sylvia. Please," she begged.

Tony watched the stout woman pull the tiny girl toward the door. Amanda started crying again. DiNozzo couldn't stand to see someone else he cared about harmed for him. "Don't hurt her!" he cried out, as Sylvia roughly shoved Amanda into the hall and shut the door behind them.

Shaking, Tony pounded the back of his head against the pillow. He balled his hands into fists and felt like screaming. He hated being helpless; hated being alone. But in the end the shaking subsided and his body drooped limply as he realized there was nothing he could do to help Amanda just like there was nothing he could do to help Gibbs. Emily had won.

_NCISNCISCNIS_

The team was thrown around the car like several rag dolls as Gibbs broke every driving ordinance on the books. All he could think about was how much time they had wasted getting to Tony.

"Can't you go any faster?" Abby yelled from the back seat, earning her a look of dread from McGee.

The blue sedan lurched to a stop in front of the hospital doors. As Gibbs, McGee, Ziva, Ducky, and Abby poured from the car, a young woman walked outside, crying hysterically. She stopped and stared at the agents now rushing up the steps.

"Wait," she said, sniffling back her tears. "You!" she pointed at Gibbs. The silver-haired agent paused. "You're Agent Gibbs! You're here for Anthony!"

Gibbs grabbed her arm, "Where is he? Can you take us to him?"

The nurse pulled herself together immediately. "Follow me," she said, leading them into the hallways of the Glenwood Psychiatric Hospital.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Tony had fitfully been drifting in and out of sleep. When he did wake, the only thing he dwelled on was Gibbs; it wasn't fair the older man had died for no reason at all. Tony shook his head. How could he have let this happen? There must have been something he could've done to stop Emily. Anything. He was a federal agent, but instead of stopping the psychiatrict he had been her prisoner for days. DiNozzo turned his head as the object of his thoughts opened the door.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, that odd, slightly blank expression on her face.

_Anxious. Nervous. Nauseas. Tired. Guilty. _Tony swallowed. He hated to admit it, but being at this woman's mercy really frightened him. He shook his head. "It doesn't matter, Emily. It doesn't matter anymore. What else can you do to me?" he asked softly, his voice filled with despair. After killing Gibbs, there was nothing she could do that would hurt him as much. Nurse Sylvia walked in the room behind the mad doctor. Tony closed his eyes again; he had totally lost it. He could actually feel himself losing touch with reality. "_Is this what it's like to go crazy?" _he wondered.

Emily walked over to him. "I know you don't understand all of this, Tony. But that's why you need me. You don't have to worry about anything anymore, I'll take care of everything for you," she said. "Just trust me to take care of you."

"_It would be nice to have someone take care of me right now,"_ he thought, _"just not you."_

The psychiatrist turned to Sylvia. "Let's get started."

DiNozzo turned his head to try and see what they were doing. Sylvia raised the rails on the sides of the bed and pushed it into the hall. Tony's stomach did a nervous dance; where were they taking him? What was Emily up to? A set of double doors opened and they pushed him into another area that looked frighteningly like an operating room. Sylvia stopped the bed near some equipment and monitors. "Emily," he asked nervously, "what are you doing?" His vision was blurry and he couldn't see where they had taken him very well; something about this situation was not right.

She touched his sticky forehead with her cold hand, "You still have a fever, but I don't think that will be a problem. We should be able to proceed with the treatment." The doctor turned to Sylvia. "Go ahead and give him the succinylcholine."

"What is that? Tell me what you're planning to do!" Tony demanded, no longer caring if there was panic in his voice. This was definitely a time to panic. "What kind of treatment are you talking about?"

Sylvia slid the needle into the IV line as Emily attached a heart monitor and several other leads to his chest. As the machines started working, DiNozzo could hear the rapid pounding of his own heart. "Emily," he said anxiously, self-preservation taking over, "whatever you plan to do, you don't have to. You don't have to do it. We can be together without this."

Dr. Anderson smiled at him, but ignored his words. "Anthony, very soon you're going to experience an uncomfortable sensation. You will no longer be able to move your body; are you already feeling a little numb?" she asked. "The drug Sylvia gave you is a paralytic, it will help prevent you from suffering any broken bones during the procedure."

Tony was breathing harshly. He couldn't control the fear over what this insane woman was doing. Slowly, his body grew more distant; he could no longer move even a finger. He looked at her desperately. "Why?" he whispered.

"This is going to help us both, Tony. It will help you deal with some of your demons," she cooed. "And it will help me have your undivided attention. After this, you won't be worried about losing Gibbs so much anymore, and we can be happy together. Please don't be frightened. You won't experience any pain."

She placed a canella in his nose and started oxygen. He weakly turned his head from side-to-side trying to dislodge it, but had no success. Sylvia removed the straps from his wrists and ankles since they were no longer needed. Emily attached tiny electrodes to each of Tony's temples.

"Often, the patient is given anesthesia during this process, but it isn't absolutely necessary and I really don't think you need it, Anthony. You're much too strong. Plus, consider it a little bit of payback for trying to kill me before," she explained pleasantly. Tony's eyes were wide, glancing about trying to determine what was coming next.

"Oh, yes," she said, picking up something from the instrument table. She inserted a rubber guard into his mouth. At that moment, Tony realized what she was about to do. He tried to shake his head no, silently pleading with his eyes for her to stop. His body was completely paralyzed; he could do nothing to prevent this. In his mind he screamed for help. She merely smiled gently, touched a finger to a wet spot on his cheek, and turned to the electroconvulsive therapy machine beside her. She would have to use a higher than normal setting since they had so little time. "Trust me, Anthony, you're going to feel much better after this is over."

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Amanda and the agents stood inside the empty room. "This was where I left him. I don't know where she could have moved him," the nurse shook her head in frustration.

Striding into the hall, Gibbs stopped a passing nurse, who stared in confusion at his gun and badge. "The patient in this room, Anthony….Harrington. Where is he?" the Lead Agent demanded.

The nurse stuttered nervously, "Um, I think Dr. Anderson took him for an ECT treatment." She looked back and forth between the various upset investigators, wondering what was happening.

Amanda appeared stricken, "What?" she asked.

"Oh, my, no," Ducky gasped.

"Oh, no what, Ducky?" Gibbs questioned, picking up on their fear.

Amanda grabbed his hand, "Come on!" she yelled, pulling the agent back down the hall, as the rest of the team followed behind. She quickly led them to a small treatment room. "They're in here," she said quietly.

Gibbs gripped his gun, nodded at McGee and Ziva who were also prepared to enter, and burst through the doors. The Lead Agent's heart nearly stopped; the sight before him was something that in all his years of military service and in law enforcement he was still unprepared to witness.

Tony's body stiffened convulsively; his fingers clawed at the bed and he groaned. Convulsions continued to twist him first one way, then another. Dr. Emily Anderson observed with clinical detachment, a small smile playing on her face.

The ex-marine shook himself out of his stupor, yelling, "Turn that damn thing off now or I'll blast your brains all over that wall!"

Emily glanced up, smiled again, then turned a knob on the electroconvulsive therapy machine before raising her well-manicured hands in the air. DiNozzo continued to twitch and thrash grotesquely even after the current was stopped.

"Ducky!" Gibbs yelled for the ME, who rushed to Tony's side, unable to do anything until the seizure ended. Never lowering his gun, the older agent indicated with his head for Ziva and McGee to move in. McGee handcuffed Sylvia as Ziva slammed the doctor into the wall and tightly placed cuffs on her wrists. A trickle of blood flowed from where Ziva busted the doctor's lip; a red bruise formed around the attractive woman's eye.

Gibbs let out a breath when Tony finally fell to the bed, limp and unmoving. Sweat covered his Senior Field Agent. Dr. Mallard leaned forward to try and assess DiNozzo's condition, "Tony, can you hear me?" the elderly doctor asked, taking the younger man's hand. "It's Ducky; I'm here with Gibbs. Open your eyes, Tony."

The heart monitor that had been beeping quietly in the background suddenly let out a continuous alarm. Everyone in the room froze, staring at the still form on the bed; Tony's heart, without warning, had ceased beating.

Dr. Emily Anderson beamed beatifically at the heated blue eyes boring through her. "He's mine now, Agent Gibbs," she said serenely, a perfect smile curving her lips. "Forever."


	8. Chapter 8

**_Disclaimer: _I do not own or profit from NCIS.**

**_Author's Note:_ The evil doctor finally gets caught, but she just won't give up! She is definitely diabolical. And poor Tony, I don't know if he can take much more (well, obviously not, since his heart gave out). Now we have to see what it takes to get our dear boy through all this!**

**Your words have been wonderful, your reviews have been kind, and your encouragement has been appreciated! Just one (maybe two) more chapters to go-and I hope you like the aftermath with just a little twist of the knife from Emily :)**

**Review if you like it!**

Gibbs continued to point his Sig at Dr. Emily Anderson, despite the fact Ziva had the woman handcuffed and subdued. He felt an overwhelming urge to pull the trigger; if the incessant droning of the heart monitor didn't stop, he still might.

"Ducky?" Gibbs said. "What's going on?" It escaped no one that for the last several seconds Anthony DiNozzo lay in front of them, dead.

"I need a defibrillator," the old doctor demanded, looking at Amanda for help.

"I'll be right back," she responded, racing from the room. Dr. Mallard started performing CPR on their lifeless friend.

Gibbs stepped forward and nudged Ziva out of the way, stepping close to the beautiful psychiatrist. He pushed the barrel of his gun into the nape of Emily's neck and held it there, a steady, cold expression on his face.

Amanda ran back in with a portable defibrillator. She took over chest compressions as Ducky prepared the machine. Gibbs watched helplessly, unable to do anything to help his friend, the younger man who was so much like a son to him. It hit him suddenly, if Tony really was gone, and they didn't bring him back, would it feel like when Shannon and Kelly died? Would it hurt that much? He had never really thought about it. Staring at Tony's body, knowing that right now in this moment the younger man was not alive, the old marine thought it might.

Ducky was ready with the paddles. "Clear," he said, applying the instruments to DiNozzo's chest. The young man raised from the bed as the shock passed through him; the monitor never changed; the droning continued.

Gibbs pressed the gun harder into Dr. Anderson's skin. She stretched her neck out longer to allow him better access. Her brown eyes met his blue eyes, the challenge there but unspoken. She silently dared him to pull the trigger. The ex-gunnery sergeant's finger tensed; if that sound didn't cease he would pull it. It took all his strength not to do it now. He knew that if he shot her, he would feel absolutely no guilt for ridding the world of this monster.

Ducky turned back to reset the machine. After several tense seconds, he once again said, "Clear." The same jerking movement occurred followed by the same uninterrupted sound. Ducky glanced up at Gibbs. Quiet desperation passed between both men; neither ready to give up on the younger man. While Dr. Mallard readied the machine again, Gibbs clenched his teeth and lowered the gun, shoving Emily back toward Ziva. He walked over to DiNozzo and did the only thing he could. Leaning close, he whispered, "It's not your time, Tony. You have to come back now. That's an order."

The ME once more placed the paddles on Tony's chest; the field agent lifted from the bed; a soft, slow beeping followed. Dr. Mallard sighed in gratitude. Gibbs stroked the younger man's brown hair, "Atta boy, Tony. Just keep it up. You always know when it's time to follow orders."

Emily sighed. "So, I guess you get your little boy back, Agent Gibbs. But will he still be the same little boy?"

"Get her out of here," the Lead Agent said with barely controlled venom, nodding his head toward the door. Ziva roughly propelled the woman toward the hallway, followed closely by McGee and Sylvia. The dark-haired Israeli glanced at her partner lying still in the bed as she headed with the psychiatrist toward the door. Ziva's hand dug into the other woman's arm, leaving the impressions of her fingers deeply embedded in the soft skin. As McGee passed, he looked down and swallowed hard, willing DiNozzo's heart to keep beating.

After the agents left, Amanda brought over a heavy blanket and covered Tony, who was deeply unconscious. Dr. Mallard unhooked the IV from Tony's arm, unsure of what was being given to him. Abby came bounding in, having waited outside to direct the Boston PD into the building. She stopped abruptly at the sight of Tony's quiet form. "Tony," she said, not sure what to do. "Gibbs?" she questioned, running to her boss and throwing herself around his neck, burying her head in his shoulder.

The older man patted her back. "Shh," he comforted. "It's ok." Making eye contact with Ducky, the silver-haired agent asked the question they all needed to know the answer to. "Is he going to be alright?"

Mallard, glancing up at the weak but steady sinus rhythm, pursed his lips and shook his head. "I don't know, Jethro. I just don't know."

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Gibbs tossed his coffee cup in the trash and resumed pacing. Abby, Ziva, and McGee sat quietly in chairs around the waiting area. It had been several hours since they brought Tony in; the Lead Agent still hadn't shaken the anxiety brought on by seeing Tony lying there lifeless before Ducky had brought him back. He looked up as the ME walked into the waiting area, rubbing his forehead in exhaustion. The team surrounded him immediately, all of them concerned that Tony's condition might have worsened.

Dr. Mallard smiled grimly. "He's holding his own," he announced. "His condition is fairly serious, but there is no reason to think that he won't pull through."

"What exactly is wrong with him?" Abby asked quietly. McGee had his arms wrapped around her shoulders.

"Tony had been given a significant amount of medication over a short amount of time; most of them anti-psychotic drugs and tranquilizers. The build-up of these medicines has led to a level of toxicity in his bloodstream, causing a variety of responses, the ultimate of which could be organ failure and eventually death. Fortunately, Tony's situation hasn't progressed to that point; his main symptoms currently are fever, increased blood pressure, labored breathing, and unconsciousness," the doctor removed his glasses and cleaned them with his shirt.

"However, add in the concussion, excessive shock therapy, and heart failure, and he has quite a lot of problems. The doctors are giving him medications to counteract those drugs still in his system, but it will take a while to remove them. It's not as simple as a stomach pumping. They're also monitoring his heart to ensure there was no long term damage from the cardiac arrest. Oh, and he's on a ventilator as a precaution until his level of consciousness increases."

"Can we see him?" Ziva asked. She had seen Tony in this type of condition too many times; it always reminded her of how easy it could be to lose him.

"I think we can manage for everyone to visit for a few minutes at a time. Jethro, as next of kin I've made arrangements for you to stay with Tony throughout," the doctor explained.

"Thanks, Ducky," Gibbs said to the ME appreciatively. After searching for the Senior Field Agent for the better part of the week, it would take an army to pull him out of the man's room now.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Gibbs and Ducky stood at the end of the bed as Dr. Edwards continued his assessment. The ex-marine had stayed with Tony over the last 24 hours; he had watched as the younger man moved and moaned, occasionally opening his eyes but not yet responding to his voice. The team had visited off and on as the ICU staff would allow, but only he had been allowed to stay consistently. Tony's eyes had been opening more frequently over the last few hours; the physician was determining if the agent was conscious enough to remove the airway support.

The doctor turned to the two men, "He's responding well to pain stimulus. I think we can take out the ventilator and hope he returns to full consciousness within the next two to three hours."

Dr. Mallard cleared his throat, "What can we expect when he wakes up? Will he be aware of what has happened? I know that with electroconvulsive therapy, mental confusion and memory loss are often side effects."

The doctor finished charting the patient's vitals. "Yes, Doctor Mallard, I would expect that Agent DiNozzo will have some processing issues for a while after he wakes up. The ECT combined with the nearly lethal level of medication in his system will undoubtedly have an effect. It's impossible to say exactly to what extent until we can evaluate him. But I don't think it will be anything permanent, more than likely he will be back to normal cognitive levels in a week or two," he reassured them. He paused thoughtfully, "I still think I'll have a neurologist provide a consult once he fully wakes up." Doctor Edwards smiled grimly at the two worried friends. "I'll be back to remove the ventilator shortly."

Gibbs walked back to stand by the bed. He could see Tony's eyes moving under the closed lids. The unconscious man shifted slightly and groaned, obviously in the grip of an unpleasant dream. The older man placed his hand on his friend's arm, "It's ok Tony, your safe. It's ok." DiNozzo's eyes opened slightly then shut again, but he stopped moving and lay quietly.

The ex-marine walked away, "This is my fault, Ducky. I should have found him sooner. I should have just gone into that hospital and taken him out when I first suspected she had him." He ran his hand through his hair. "He trusts me, you know? But while he waited on me she was torturing him. I don't deserve his trust."

Dr. Mallard faced the blue-eyed man. "Don't do this, Jethro. You did everything you could to get to Tony, and he would be the first one to tell you that. He doesn't want your guilt and self-loathing," the ME chastised. "If I know Tony, he will need you to be there when he doesn't know how to handle what has happened to him. You can't do that if you are too busy beating yourself up."

Tony moaned again, his legs kicking slightly and his hands moving as if to push something away. Gibbs moved quickly back to the bedside. "Stop, Tony. No one's hurting you," he said, frowning. The Field Agent's head turned slightly from side to side as if telling someone no. "Settle down, DiNozzo. You're alright." Gibbs took a cloth from the side table and wiped away the sweat that had gathered on the younger man's face as he once again stilled.

Mallard gripped Gibb's arm. "See, Jethro," the old doctor pointed out, "he needs your strength right now." The ME pulled the blanket back in place where Tony had kicked it loose, covering the young man again and patting his shoulder. "You know, out of all the people he's known, I think it is quite a compliment that Tony chose you to model himself after. He saw something in you that he wanted to emulate, and he's done that to a fault. It makes the two of you a fairly unusual, but unshakable team. Don't back out on him now."

Gibbs thinned his lips and glanced at the elderly physician. "You got a way with words there, Duck," he said. "Thanks."

"Never a problem, Jethro. Never a problem," he responded kindly.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Tony could hear people talking. Sometimes he thought they were talking about him; sometimes he thought they were talking to him. He didn't really care.

"Tony, are you awake? Can you hear me?" the voice insisted he respond. DiNozzo didn't want to answer. It was easier to sleep.

"Open your eyes, Tony. It's time to get up now," the voice wouldn't go away.

He swallowed; realized his throat hurt. "I can't," he said thickly.

"You can. Just try," that damn voice.

"Go away," this was all just a dream. He thought he heard someone laugh.

He could feel himself breathing. Something was on his face. He reached up slowly, felt around until he recognized oxygen tubes. "Oh," he mumbled and drifted away for a while.

When consciousness returned again, someone was wiping his forehead with a cloth. He licked his lips, and slowly opened his eyes.

"Tony, can you see me?" a fuzzy shape asked. He stared at the shape. His breathing grew more rapid; he couldn't make out the shape.

_"Where am I?"_ he thought as awareness slowly returned. He blinked rapidly and tried to sit up straighter. _"Oh my god, where is she?"_ he looked around frantically.

"You need to calm down, Tony. It's ok, you're in the hospital, you're safe here," someone said, and touched his arm.

"No!" he cried out. "Don't touch me! I don't know…..I don't know where I am." He was breathing shallowly now, sweating and shaking. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone move toward him with a needle. "Stop!" he yelled. "No….no more….." he couldn't take any more of this. Hands were suddenly all over him, pushing him back on the bed, holding him down. He knew they were going to tie him up again. "Please, please don't," he said, unable to control himself. Something warm flowed through him. He couldn't really think, couldn't really struggle. The hands relaxed, then let go. Someone was rubbing his hair.

"No, Emily, no just don't, please," he asked, falling back into a state of semi-sleep.

Coming back was not going to be easy.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Gibbs took a drink of his coffee and sighed. The morning had been difficult. Every time Tony woke he had been confused and disoriented, unable to remember where he was or how he had gotten there. All he could remember was Dr. Anderson and what she had done to him. He fought with anyone who tried to touch him, even Gibbs, and tugged at the central line that had been placed to monitor his heart function. Doctor Edwards finally decided to put him on a steady, but mild stream of tranquilizers to keep him calm until his battered mind caught up with what was happening. They had also placed a pair of soft Velcro restraints on his wrists to prevent him from touching the tubes and monitors or hitting someone. Gibbs didn't like it, but he also couldn't see any alternative. At this point it was more important not to let Tony hurt himself or anyone else.

He had sent Ducky back to the hotel to rest and update the others. The Lead Agent had refused to let anyone but Dr. Mallard visit Tony since he woke up; he knew his friend wouldn't want anyone to see him like this. They were not very happy, especially Abby, but Gibbs knew it was for the best. As soon as Tony got his head back on straight they could stay with him all they wanted. But not like this. Even Gibbs had to admit that the situation had him off kilter and upset; he'd never seen Tony like this in all their years of knowing each other. It was surprising how much it bothered him to see the younger man scared and vulnerable. DiNozzo was supposed to be cocky and arrogant, full of himself to the point of annoyance. This was not a version of Tony he was used to.

The Lead Agent had let instinct take over when dealing with Tony over the last few hours. Thinking of Ducky's words, he let the protective, fatherly side of him push its way to the surface and take control. Somehow he sensed it was what Tony needed instead of the tough, kick-ass marine that usually dominated their relationship. It was fine with Gibbs though, because looking at DiNozzo so pale, thin, and utterly incoherent left him wanting to do anything he could to "make it all better" as Kelly would have said. If only it were as simple as kissing a skinned knee and putting on a band-aid.

"Boss," the softly spoken word barely made it to where he stood at the other side of the room. He walked back over to be met by cloudy green eyes.

"Yeah, Tony, I'm here," he answered.

"Take these off. Please," Tony asked, his eyes wide and somewhat desperate.

Gibbs hesitated for just a second. "Ok," he answered, and quickly undid the restraints.

Tony closed his eyes for a moment, then shifted himself so he was laying on his side. He winced as the IV line pulled against his chest and the nasal cannula was tugged along. But finally he settled into a somewhat more comfortable position.

Gibbs sat down in the chair next to the bed and placed his hand through the rail to rest on top of his agent's. Tony looked at him again. "She told me she killed you," he said at last.

The old marine smiled. "She tried. Didn't work," he explained.

Tony studied the older man. "I'm glad you're not dead," he said, the emerald eyes struggling to stay open.

Gibbs shook his head, "I'm glad you're not dead, too." He felt long fingers moving to circle his own. With his free hand he reached up and pushed Tony's hair back; the younger man didn't flinch at his touch. Tony's eyes closed and he slept again.

The silver-haired man sat like that until the grip on his fingers loosened and went lax, no longer holding on to his hand. Gibbs then stood, stretching the kinks out of his back. The doctor entered, frowning at the sight of his patient. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked the marine, noticing the restraints lay undone.

"He's doing better," Gibbs informed the man. "He needed to know he could trust me."

The doctor nodded; he didn't really understand the friendship between these two, but he had quickly realized it was best to defer to the older man. "I'm going to continue with the sedatives for a while longer, just until we're sure he's stable," Gibbs nodded his assent.

The door to the room opened and Director Leon Vance entered. "Leon?" Gibbs questioned. "What are you doing here?"

Vance glanced at the sleeping agent. "For one thing, I wanted to check on DiNozzo. Secondly, seeing how your team arrested a serial killer I thought it might be time for me to get more involved. I've been at Boston PD most of the morning," he said.

The doctor excused himself, informing Gibbs he would return later. "What have you found out?" Gibbs asked.

"So far they've connected Dr. Anderson and her accomplice to around a dozen missing men. She's refusing to give any details, just continually asks when they're going to let her see Tony. Seems she has a pretty intense obsession with him," Vance explained.

Gibbs ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah. We're lucky he didn't end up on that list of missing men," he agreed.

Vance continued, "Boston PD isn't getting anywhere with the doctor. I wondered if you might want to try a hand at interviewing her."

Gibbs considered this. He didn't want to leave Tony, but he also wanted to make sure the woman spent the rest of her life behind bars. If he could help do that for Tony, it would be worth it.

"Let me get Ducky back down here to stay with DiNozzo. Then we'll go," Gibbs took out his cell phone.

Vance walked closer to the bed, studying the sleeping agent. "How is he? Really?" the Director asked.

Gibbs closed his phone. "She really did a number on him, Leon. But it's Tony—he'll be fine in his own time. We just have to let him find his way," Gibbs explained, believing in the strength of his Senior Field Agent.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Gibbs was already seated when they brought Dr. Emily Anderson into the interrogation room. He was taken aback at her attractiveness, even in this circumstance. She was scrubbed clean, no make-up, brown hair in a sleek pony-tail, and wearing an orange jumpsuit. But she was still very beautiful; maybe even more so without all the accoutrements. She was wearing handcuffs, which looked almost like a pair of fashionably sleek bracelets on her. She smiled at the silver-haired man.

"Agent Gibbs!" she said as if greeting an old friend. "It's wonderful to see you again. I just wish it could have been under more pleasant circumstances."

Gibbs appraised her cooly. "I'm perfectly fine with the circumstances," he replied.

"All business, I see. That's fine," she said, dropping the smile. "How's Anthony? You don't know how worried I've been about him."

"Why are you worried? You're the one who almost killed him. I'd think you'd be happy to know if you succeeded," he provoked her.

"Oh, no," she said. "I never wanted him to die. Just to be…..more mine." She smiled again, a reflective look crossing her face. "But I suppose you're pleased since you have him back now. I guess you think you've won."

"Tony's going to be fine. I'll make sure of that," he informed her.

"I'm sure you will," she paused. "How do you think he'll handle the trial?"

"What are you talking about?" the Lead Agent asked. He wasn't sure what she was trying to do.

"I've just been thinking, it will be so hard on Anthony to have to relive everything that he went through during a trial. I'm sure he won't be comfortable with the world knowing exactly what happened," she said smoothly. Gibbs noticed a gleam in her eye.

"He'll deal with it," the ex-marine bluffed.

"Do you think so? What part do you think he'll enjoy reliving the most? How you drank coffee with me while I had him put in a straight-jacket and tossed in a padded cell? How he cried like a baby when I told him you were dead? The way he begged me to let him go?" she detailed. "Or maybe he'd like to hear about all the things that he doesn't quite remember. Like when I undressed him," she stared straight into Gibb's blue eyes at that statement. "You didn't think my interest in him was strictly platonic, did you?"

Gibbs was clutching the arms of the chair, his knuckles white. He wanted to lean across the table and choke the life from this evil, sadistic woman. She was truly and completely a psychopath.

"I don't know if you're aware yet, Agent Gibbs, but there were numerous video cameras throughout my facility. I'm sure we have quite a few hours of footage from Anthony's time with me that we could view. Do you think he'd like to see the electroconvulsive therapy treatment? I'm sure there was a camera in that room," she continued sweetly.

"What do you want?" Gibbs asked bluntly.

"I want to talk to Anthony. Face-to-face, just like you and I are talking. If you give me that, I'll plead guilty. No trial. I'll even tell you where to find the other men that I was….fond of over the years," she offered.

"I don't know if I can arrange that," Gibbs replied.

She sighed. "You have four weeks. After that my offer is rescinded," she explained.

Gibb's phone rang. "Yeah, Ducky," he said. "I'll be right there."

"Is everything alright?" she inquired with concern. "Is something wrong with Anthony?"

Gibbs nodded to the guard to remove her. "Four weeks," she reminded him as they led her away. "I'll be waiting to hear from you."

The Lead Agent met Vance in the hall. "Did you hear all of that?" Gibbs asked the Director, who had been watching from the observation room.

"Yeah," Vance answered quietly. "What are you gonna do?"

"I don't know. Right now, we need to get back to the hospital. Ducky says Tony woke up and is upset—seems convinced again that I'm dead and everyone is lying to him," Gibbs explained. "Ducky wasn't having much luck calming him down."

"Four weeks isn't very long to get him back in shape, Leroy," Vance observed.

"I know," the agent agreed. "I know."

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Tony was staring out the window when Gibbs entered the room. Ducky, who had been seated in the chair by the bed, stood and greeted his friend, "Jethro! I'm glad you could get back so quickly! Tony here just needed to get a look at you to know that his belief in your demise was somewhat premature," the elderly doctor declared.

DiNozzo turned to see the Lead Agent, relief spreading over his worried features. "Boss!" he said, then looked at Ducky guiltily. "Ducky told me you were fine, but…I couldn't really remember…she told me…" he trailed off, not sure how to continue. "I'm sorry, Ducky," he apologized softly.

"Now, now," the kindly ME patted his arm, "Don't concern yourself. I know things are a bit confusing at the moment, but we'll get it all sorted out and right as rain! A few more days of rest should help you feel much better. And now that you've returned, Jethro, I'm going to head out to meet the others for a bite of lunch." He turned back to Tony. "I'll be back to see you in a few hours, my boy."

"Thanks, Ducky," Tony replied, embarrassed by his disorientation. The doctors were still giving him tranquilizers and the memory loss from the ECT made it difficult to recall anything that happened recently. He had forced himself to stay awake until Gibbs got back, but now that he saw his boss was ok, his eyes were once again falling closed. "Sorry, Boss, I'll try to do better," he mumbled drowsily.

Gibbs smiled and shook his head, "Nothing to apologize for, Tony. Just get some rest, alright?"

"Kay," he replied, already dozing.

Gibbs leaned back in the chair and watched his Senior Field Agent sleep. How could he send Tony back to face that woman in just four weeks? But to put him through a trial was much, much worse. He gazed out the window and debated what to do next. It seemed that just when they thought Emily Anderson was no longer a threat, the brilliant doctor had found yet another way to torture Anthony DiNozzo.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer:**_ **I do not own or profit from NCIS.**

_**Author's Note: **_**I apologize for not getting to respond to all your great messages yesterday, but real life—kids, husband, dog, work—got in the way and I spent most of my free time getting this chapter ready to go. It's for all you hurt/comfort addicts who wanted more Papa Gibbs, so I hope you enjoy! **

**One more chapter should see us through to the end!**

**And for the couple of folks who wondered about there being too much evidence (with the video tapes) for Tony to testify at trial—the sixth amendment to the Bill of Rights (Confrontation Clause) gives an accused the right to face their accuser, so if Emily wanted Tony called for testimony, he would have to do it, regardless of the amount of evidence presented by the prosecution. Plus, you can't just throw in a bunch of videos, there has to be testimony for cross-examination. (If someone pleads not guilty there has to be a trial, you can't just toss them in jail because you think there's enough evidence-lol). I wanted to imply that the information about what happened would be on display for everyone to hear, even without Tony's testimony. I'm not saying it would be a good defensive strategy; she would be doing it to torture Tony more.**

**The illness described in this chapter is real, as are the symptoms and treatments (although I modified them some). You learn a lot researching this crazy stuff!**

**Let me know what you think…..:)**

"I just don't understand why they need more blood," DiNozzo explained to Dr. Mallard as Gibbs walked into the room. A harried nurse was standing next to the bed appearing less than pleased with the uncooperative patient.

"What's the problem?" the ex-marine asked.

"Just a little misunderstanding," Ducky supplied. "Tony feels that he has had enough blood taken for the duration of his stay and has asked this nice young nurse to go away. We're trying to get him to see that in order to monitor his heart function and the level of medication still in his system, frequent blood draws are absolutely necessary."

"DiNozzo," Gibbs said a little more impatiently than he meant to, "Come on, let the girl do her job."

Tony looked up at the Lead Agent. The dark circles and ghostly pallor of his skin were constant reminders of just how much he had been through. Tony was still attached to a nasal cannula and various monitors to ensure lack of damage to his organs. The central line snaked out from under his gown. His breathing was a bit more shallow than earlier and the heart monitor had sped up since Gibbs left. "I….I really don't want her to, boss," the field agent finally said.

Sweat beads had popped out on his face, and exhaustion gnawed at his already frayed edges. Gibbs leaned down close as Ducky stepped away to chat with the nurse, "She's gotta do this, Tony. It's the only way they can tell if you're getting better. Just turn your head and look at me, ok?"

"You know I'm not scared, don't you, boss?" Tony asked. "It's just….creepy and makes me think about that place. I'm sorry to be such a pain in the ass."

"Stop apologizing," Gibbs ordered, glancing up to nod at the nurse who gently took Tony's arm. The younger man turned his head and looked at the steel blue eyes of Gibbs. "Do you remember the time you fell out of that plane?" Gibbs asked.

Tony grinned weakly, flinching slightly as the needle broke his skin. "I might not be able to remember what I had for breakfast, but how could I forget that? Not the way most people make their first jump," he recalled.

"For just a split second I thought you might not get your chute open and I was going to have to go scoop you up off the ground somewhere. Then I saw your chute and knew you were going to be alright," the older man said. "You just need to take your time here and let your chute open, you'll be ok."

Tony tried to relax and lean against the pillows. "Gotcha, boss," he said. "Thanks."

"All done," the nurse informed them, giving the two men an easy smile. "It didn't bother you nearly as much when I took blood earlier; I hope you don't mind when I have to come back tonight; I'm going to start thinking you don't like me." She laughed lightly and left.

Tony glanced at Gibbs awkwardly. "I honestly don't ever remember seeing her before. I don't even remember her taking blood before," he said softly. "I hate not being able to remember stuff. It makes me feel crazy."

"Hey, you're talking to the expert on amnesia," Gibbs teased. Tony smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"I just don't want to be the expert on crazy," DiNozzo mumbled. The heart monitor slowed down to a normal rhythm as he sunk back down into the bed.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Dr. Edwards finished reviewing the sleeping patient's vitals and tilted his head to indicate for Gibbs to step outside. The agent followed him into the hallway.

"I'm sure you're worried about Tony, but all the neurological and cardiovascular tests have come back fine. We're still concerned about a slight fever from the medicines he was given over the last week, but those levels continue to decrease at an acceptable rate so hopefully that situation will resolve itself. He's going to be tired, groggy, and disoriented for another week or so, but his symptoms should diminish over time."

"What about his memory? Things from the past seem easy to recall, but something that happened a few hours ago just disappears," Gibbs asked with concern.

"As I've told you, short term memory loss is a common side effect of the ECT. It's normally a safe procedure, but from what I can tell he was given a higher than normal shock. The neurologist couldn't predict how long the short-term memory issues will continue. That will certainly add to Agent DiNozzo's frustration, but you'll also notice periods of docility brought on by the areas affected in the brain. It might appear to be mood swings, but there is a reason for the behavior and it will not last forever," the doctor informed him. "Just tough it out and he'll get through it."

"How long is he going to need to stay in the hospital?" Gibbs asked; he knew it wouldn't be long before DiNozzo was demanding to go home.

The doctor scratched his head. "I'd say maybe five or six more days. He's still pretty weak, and I want to continue monitoring his organs for any damage we might have missed as the medication continues to leave his system. Plus, I'd rather have him somewhere he's less likely to get agitated," he answered. "Any time a person has suffered from a cardiac arrest it's important to have a period of rest and quiet. Agent DiNozzo doesn't strike me as the type of person who tends toward those activities."

Gibbs grinned. "Well, you're definitely getting to know Dinozzo," he agreed.

"Before you return to Tony's room, we do have some additional paperwork that needs to be signed. It will only take a few minutes," the doctor suggested.

Gibbs nodded and followed him to the nurse's station.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

When the NCIS agent returned to Tony's room he wasn't quite sure what was happening. A dark-haired woman stood next to the bed holding a chart; Tony had his eyes shut tightly and was squeezing the sheet. "Get. Out," he said quietly. "I….don't….want you here." He opened his eyes and saw Gibbs. "Make her leave," he requested forcefully, leaning up from the bed. "Make her leave, Gibbs."

"Who are you?" asked the silver-haired man. "What are you doing in Tony's room?"

"My name is Dr. Cavell; I was referred by Tony's neurologist. He said Agent DiNozzo had been through a traumatic experience and might need someone to talk to," she explained.

"She's a psychiatrist," Tony said softly, bleary green eyes meeting the Lead Agent's. "She….wants me to tell her….what happened. I can't….do that."

Gibbs gently eased the younger man back down on the bed. Tony was breathing heavily now. "You don't have to," he said gently. "Just relax." Tony closed his eyes again and tried to steady himself.

"You need to come out in the hall with me," he told the doctor coldly.

As they left the room, Gibbs stopped a nurse, "Could you check on Agent DiNozzo? He was getting kind of upset a few minutes ago."

"Of course, Agent Gibbs, I'll be right in," she replied with a small smile.

The blue-eyed man turned to the woman beside him, "Did you even look at his file before you came in here? He's got a few issues with the psychiatric profession right now, so I don't see how anyone thought this was a good idea."

"Regardless of the circumstances he can't hide from the situation forever, Agent Gibbs. He is going to need to process what occurred and decide how to put it behind him. He needs someone to talk to about it," Dr. Cavell explained her position.

"He can talk to me," Gibbs said. The doctor raised her eyebrow as if to question why anyone would want to talk to the old marine. "Or our friend Dr. Mallard or any of the other members of our team. There are plenty of people for him to talk to. It just doesn't need to be a psychiatrist. Now I'd appreciate it if you would back off."

"Your agent is going to need help at some point, whether he wants to admit it or not. Feel free to call me if you end up wanting my services," she handed Gibbs her card. "And I really am sorry for upsetting him."

After she walked away, Gibbs sighed and headed back to DiNozzo's room. The nurse finished her check up, adjusting tubes and monitors and bags of fluid, then left. "They think I'm crazy, don't they?" Tony asked. "That's why they sent a psychiatrist."

"No one thinks you're crazy, Tony, at least not more than you've ever been," Gibbs informed him. "It was a mistake to send that woman; someone just wasn't thinking." He paused. "But you do know, Tony, that if you want to talk to someone, I'll listen," Gibbs offered.

Tony glanced away, wondering why the heartfelt offer felt so wrong to him. He couldn't speak of the incident with anyone, not even Gibbs. It was best to keep that floodgate closed. "Thanks, Boss," he said, then closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. Talking about Emily Anderson was not something he wanted to do right now.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Gibbs fell asleep in the chair by the bed that most people would find uncomfortable, but the grizzled old marine had trained himself to sleep almost anywhere. The other skill he had honed as both a military man and a father was waking at unusual sounds. Late in the evening his eyes darted open, immediately alert for something not right; it turned out the not right sound was rapid breathing and mumbling from the Senior Field Agent. "Hey, Tony, can you hear me?" the blue-eyed man asked. "Wake up."

He reached out to touch the younger man and was surprised at the hot, dry skin that met his fingers. Immediately he felt DiNozzo's forehead, once again finding hot skin that lacked in any noticeable perspiration. He might not be a doctor, but he had been in the field enough to know that when the body stopped sweating it was not a good sign. The older man pressed the call button and observed as Tony continued to breathe rapidly and move slightly in the bed.

"Is there a problem?" the on-duty nurse asked quickly as she entered the ICU room.

"I think he has a fever," Gibbs replied. "He's had one since he got here, but this is different."

The nurse assessed the situation, soon calling for assistance from Dr. Edwards. She turned to the concerned man, "Tony's temperature has increased significantly, right now he's around 103. The bigger problem is that he seems to have stopped sweating, which means that his body is not regulating his temperature correctly. We see this in overdose situations involving anti-psychotic medications; I think the doctor was hoping Agent DiNozzo had managed to bypass some of these complications."

_"DiNozzo bypass a complication?" _Gibbs thought soberly._ "We should be so lucky."_

Dr. Edwards entered the room and was brought up to speed by the nurse. "Obviously, the first order of business will be to lower his temperature," he remarked. "There isn't much more we can do about removing the medications from his system any faster; he's currently receiving charcoal every six hours, and that's really the only effective treatment." The doctor thought for a moment. "Let's use ice packs and fans for now; if that doesn't work we'll have to consider an intravenous method, but I'd rather not be that invasive if possible."

"Is his condition dangerous?" Gibbs questioned with concern.

"As long as his body temperature decreases in the next four to six hours, there should be no problems. However, if the temperature stays stable or increases, it could indicate a more serious condition called Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome that's brought on by an overdose of anti-psychotic medications," the physician explained. "That, I'm afraid, can often be fatal or lead to significant organ and brain damage. All we can do now is monitor and hope his temperature drops soon."

The doctor pulled the nurse aside to provide directions on how he wanted to treat the patient's condition. Gibbs took out his cell phone, "Hey, Ducky, I know it's getting late but Tony's having a problem here and I was wondering if you could come back down?" The Lead Agent nodded, "I'll see you in a little while."

A nurse brought in a bowl of cool water and a cloth; she pulled the blankets off the bed and started rubbing along Tony's face and arms. After a few minutes the younger man's eyes flickered open; they shone bright in contrast with his pink-tinged cheeks. He glanced at the nurse then looked around for Gibbs. "Boss?" he questioned, a slight note of fear in his voice. "What….what's going on?"

The blue-eyed agent walked over to the bed; he took the cloth from the nurse who smiled at his gesture. Wringing out the fabric, he pressed it against Tony's forehead. "You have a fever; they're trying to bring it down."

Tony looked up through his eyelashes as Gibbs continued to wet his burning skin. "Are you sure I'm not dying?" he asked.

Gibbs grunted, "I haven't given you permission to die yet, so no, you're not dying. Why would you even ask that?"

DiNozzo hesitated, "Cause you're kind of….giving me a sponge bath." Tony coughed a little and attempted to grin. "Pretty weird."

Another nurse entered the room with several ice packs. "Hey, Tony," she said sympathetically. "These are pretty cold, and not very comfortable. We'll try to get them back off as soon as we can." She started placing them behind his knees, in the crook of his elbows, under his armpits, and behind his neck. Tony closed his eyes and tried to slow down his breathing.

"You doing ok?" Gibbs asked.

Tony seemed to drift for a while, "Just really cold…..and hot. Can't explain it," he finally answered. Blinking, the younger agent met Gibb's blue eyes. "I really don't feel too good," he whispered as if sharing a secret no one else in the room knew.

"I know, Tony. You'll feel better soon. Just don't give up yet, is that clear?" the marine directed affectionately.

"Crystal, boss," DiNozzo answered trying to convince his boss, and himself, that this was going to be over soon.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

When Dr. Mallard entered the room a nurse was changing melted ice packs for frozen ones. Several fans were blowing toward the agent, who appeared to be asleep but seemed unable to prevent his arms and legs from shifting every few minutes. "How's he doing, Jethro? I take it he has a fever?" the ME asked.

"It keeps going up, Ducky, even with all the ice and everything. It's past 104 now, close to 105," the normally stoic man couldn't hide his fear in front of the old Scotsman. "The doctor says it could be a sign of some disorder caused by the drug overdose," he paused, his voice cracking a little. "They said it could be fatal."

Ducky realized that if Gibbs was afraid, the situation must be fairly serious. "Let me find the doctor, maybe I can get some more information," he said, leaning over his young friend. "You're going to be fine, Tony," he encouraged.

"Ducky?" Tony asked, trying to open his eyes and find the older man. "It's so hot….do you know why it's so hot?"

The ME looked at Gibbs, who shook his head. "I'll find out Tony. We'll get you cooled off, alright?"

"Good," Tony answered, closing his eyes again. "Thanks, Ducky."

The doctor stared sheepishly at the older agent. "You should know Gibbs, I'm not alone. The rest of the team wouldn't stay at the hotel. They're all outside in the lobby."

Gibbs sighed. When had he started to lose control of this team? _"When they started acting like a family,"_ he realized. "Send them in," he said, knowing when it was time to give up. "It'll be good for Tony to have them around."

_NCISNCISNCIS_

"Angels," Tony said, cracking open his red and tired eyes. "Gibbs said …I wasn't dying but I…keep seeing angels."

Ziva smiled over at Abby; the two women had been taking turns applying cold compresses to Tony's skin after Ducky forced Gibbs to the cafeteria for coffee and something to eat. McGee stood to the side of the room, wanting to help but not quite sure how.

"Quit flirting, Tony. You're too sick to flirt," the Israeli gently chastised.

He smiled weakly, "I figure you can't turn me down….right now. You'd be too guilt ridden."

Abby leaned over. "At least your flirting is harmless since you don't have the strength to do anything about it," she teased.

"Cruel," he replied. Tony looked around. "I'm getting kind of cold….can you take some of this off?" The doctor had gotten more aggressive with his effort to lower the agent's temperature; instead of ice packs they now had the young man wrapped in a temperature controlled cooling vest and cooling blanket. He was also being given chilled saline intravenously. Despite trying to kid with them, his breaths were still low and shallow. "Come on…Abs, this isn't fun anymore." He was giving her the sad puppy look without even trying.

'We can't Tony," Abby said softly; she hated telling him no when he looked like this. "You still have a high fever, and this is going to help you."

"But I'm….cold…..I'm not hot. You do it, Ziva," he asked his partner. "You don't care what….they say." The Senior Field Agent was getting agitated at their lack of cooperation.

"I can't, Tony. Not yet," she stated firmly, patting his forehead again.

Tony turned his face from her and tried to sit up. "I want to get out of here. I'm…going…home," he said, rising off the bed. Ziva and Abby pushed him back.

"No you're not, Mister," Abby stated. "McGee, go get Gibbs," she directed. This was getting out of hand.

"On it, Abs," he replied, heading out, glad for something to do.

When Gibbs and Ducky returned, Abby, Ziva, and a nurse were struggling to keep Tony in bed and calm. "Causing trouble?" the Lead Agent asked as he approached the group.

"Tell them I need to get out of here, boss. Tell them I'm cold, I'm tired, and I just want to go home," he asked the other man. "I don't want to be here anymore." DiNozzo grabbed Gibb's arm;, the silver-haired agent could feel the heat radiating from the younger man's touch. "Don't make me stay here anymore."

"Listen to me, Tony. Listen," he said again, as the younger agent tried to interrupt. "You're not going anywhere until the doctor says you can. And definitely not tonight. Now just relax and trust me. _I got your six."_

Tony blinked and then seemed to deflate, sinking back in the bed. "You don't understand, boss. You don't understand," he repeated, shaking his head.

Gibbs picked up the cloth and started wiping his forehead again. "I know, Tony, we can't understand how you feel, but we're here and we're trying. Just trust us, ok."

"Ok, boss," he said quietly, "Ok."

_NCISNCISNCIS_

McGee was dozing in a chair close to the bed; he barely heard the question. "Where'd Kate go?" Tony asked, staring at him.

"Wh…what did you say, Tony?" McGee asked. He could feel his own heart pounding.

"She said she would stay with me, but I haven't seen her in a while. Did she go home?" he questioned softly.

McGee squirmed. DiNozzo was clearly remembering when he had been in the hospital with the plague; Kate had spent a lot of time with him then. The junior agent didn't know how to answer the question. "Uh, well….I don't know…." he stuttered.

"She'll be back," Tony said and blinked his tired eyes. McGee noticed the dark circles were nearly purple; the normally bright green was cloudy and dull. How could Tony have changed so much in just a week and a half?

"Yeah, Tony," McGee said. "She'll be back."

Tony nodded and closed his eyes; McGee felt a hand squeeze his shoulder. He looked up to see Gibbs, who must have been standing behind him the whole time.

The Lead Agent let his hand rest on McGee's shoulder for a few minutes before heading over to stand by the window. He watched as the dark sky lightened and the sun slowly approached the horizon. The rest of the team went out into the waiting room to sleep on the chairs and sofas.

As the dawn broke, Tony's fever finally broke. Gibbs glanced over to see the younger man drenched in sweat; his hair, face, gown, even the sheets were wet and he was shivering uncontrollably. "Boss?" Tony asked. "Why am I all wet?" His teeth chattered. "Really….cold." Gibbs placed a hand on the man's cool cheek to confirm that the fever was gone. He grinned, "Yeah, you're pretty cold. I'll get someone in here to do something about it." He pushed the call button. "Do you remember anything about last night?"

"About Last Night…that's a 1986 movie with Rob Lowe and Demi Moore," he said without thinking. Noting the expression on Gibb's face, he added, "Not what you meant, huh? Um, did I have a fever or something?"

"Something like that," Gibbs said, smiling for the first time in hours.

A nurse entered, checking his temperature. "100.1," she announced. "I think we'll take it. Could you excuse us, Agent Gibbs while we get Tony cleaned up some?" she asked. The Lead Agent agreed so he could go tell the team their trouble magnet had dodged another bullet.

After some breakfast the agents returned to find Tony sitting up in bed with a clean gown, clean sheets, and a warm blanket. He was dipping a spoon into a bowl of runny oatmeal; he tilted the spoon to the side and watched it run back into the bowl. The young man did not look impressed.

"Playing with your food?" Ziva teased.

"I don't think this qualifies as food," he replied, pushing the tray away in disgust. "I guess you guys were here all night. You didn't have to…."

"Yes, Tony, we did," McGee spoke up. "You would have done it for us."

Tony flushed with embarrassment. Before he could respond, a nurse entered with a large bouquet of red roses. She smiled, "You're not allowed to keep these in here, but I thought since you had such a rough night you might want to see them. They were delivered this morning."

Abby jumped up and grabbed the vase. "They're gorgeous," she said, sniffing a red bloom. "Who sent them? Gotta girlfriend we don't know about?" She smiled at Tony mischievously.

The nurse pulled out the card. "Until we meet again, I'm always thinking of you, Love Emily," she read. "Who's Emily…."

The nurse was interrupted by the sound of the vase crashing to the floor. Water and glass sprayed around the room as Abby covered her mouth with her hands. Gibbs stared at Tony, who was staring fixedly at the flowers strewn across the floor.

"That bitch," Ziva said, fury in her eyes.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer: **_**I do not own or profit from NCIS.**

_**Author's Note:**_** I hope you enjoy the ending—it's rather long, but it was hard to tie everything up. It's left a little open-ended, and some of you might have wanted more payback for Emily, but you never know, I might come up with a sequel (I have an idea or two)! Some of you might even pick out a hint in this chapter of how it could happen….. (But that isn't the next story I'll write, I have something else partly finished that I'll go back to now).**

**I wanted to finish today since I'm leaving for workshops and vacation and won't be back for about three weeks. So bye to all my fanfiction friends—you make this fun! I love to open my e-mail and hear from you; it makes the hard work of writing worth it :) **

**Talk to you again soon (and don't forget to review this chapter—I'm getting an I Phone today and it will give me something to read while I sit in my boring workshop)** **!**

**TLH**

"Damn idiots!" Gibbs fumed as he slammed the cell phone shut.

"How did she send the flowers?" Ziva asked. It was infuriating to believe that even while incarcerated Dr. Anderson was able to continue tormenting the Senior Field Agent.

"There was a brand new guard who'd only been on the job a few weeks assigned to her; Anderson convinced the young woman she had a "sick friend" she wanted to send flowers to. The guard did it for her, since she said the doctor _seemed so nice_," Gibbs snorted at the thought. "Boston PD has placed the guard on suspension pending a disciplinary review," he explained angrily.

Ducky sighed, "She is a master manipulator."

Gibbs kicked a trash can, "I should've shot that woman when I had a chance."

"How do you think Tony's handling this?" McGee asked.

Gibbs ran a hand through his silver hair, "He's talking to Abby. I thought I'd leave them alone for a while." The Lead Agent was hoping Abby could get Tony to open up some about what happened; none of the rest of them had been able to get him to talk. After the flowers were delivered, Tony completely shut down, not uttering a word about the situation. "Let's go get some coffee; we'll come back in a few minutes."

_NCISNCISNCIS_

The flowers had been cleaned up and thrown away; Abby couldn't help glancing at the spot where they had lain. The young Goth sat on the edge of the bed holding Tony's hand while he dozed off and on. He was still worn out from the previous night. Cracking his eyes open, he watched Abby twirl a ponytail around her finger. "You don't have to worry so much, Abby," DiNozzo told her. "I'm fine."

"But, Tony, how can you be fine? I mean, you were basically the captive of a crazy woman for a week; it doesn't make sense for you to be fine," she argued.

Tony smiled grimly, "I don't have much choice Abs. I don't like what happened, but I can't just crawl in a shell and cry about it." He squeezed her fingers. "I'll just go on; I always do."

Abby squeezed back, "Just don't try to do it alone, Tony. Let us help you. I mean, wouldn't it be best to just get it out in the open so you can leave it all behind?"

Tony gazed out the window. "I honestly don't remember a lot, Abby. Gibbs told me some about what happened, but stuff like the shock therapy and dying…" he shrugged. "I just don't remember that happening and I don't think I want to. So how is talking about it going to help?"

"Maybe because that psycho psychiatrist won't go away. I've never seen anybody so persistent. Didn't the flowers really creep you out?" she asked.

Tony hesitated. The flowers _had _been creepy and showed that Emily wasn't about to stop pursuing him as long as she had the opportunity. "It bothered me some," he said softly. "But she's in jail Abby. If the worse thing she can do now is send me flowers, I'll be ok," he informed her.

"You'll be more than ok if I have anything to do with it," Abby responded, kissing his fingers and rubbing his cheek.

Tony let his friend fuss over him, and quietly wondered if he really could put all this behind him.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Gibbs walked down to the lobby with the rest of the team; Ducky, Ziva, McGee, and Abby were heading back to DC. Tony was alone in his room; he glanced up as the door opened slowly. It took him a moment to process what he was seeing; for a few minutes he thought he was back in the mental institution. DiNozzo considered hitting the call button, but didn't really know why. Instead he lay there stiffly, wondering what to say to the visitor.

"Hi, Anthony. I hope you don't mind that I came by," Amanda said softly. "I wasn't sure if you would want to see me."

Tony shifted uncomfortably. He recognized Amanda, remembered talking to her while he was in the other hospital. He even knew the nurse had been kind and tried to help him. But seeing her here broke down some of the barriers he had built up; it made the surreal experience seem absolutely real. Without being able to stop them, flashes of memory raced back and left him feeling nervous and anxious. He rubbed his wrists; his mind replaying what it felt like to be tied down and unable to get away from those people.

Amanda walked closer to the bed. "I can understand if you never wanted to see me again. It took me way too long to realize what Dr. Anderson was doing to you. I should have done more to help you," she said apologetically. "I really needed to tell you I'm sorry."

Tony still hadn't spoken. He swallowed and tried to decide what to say. It wasn't right to just not speak to the nurse; she had been the only person in that place who had treated him well.

Finally, DiNozzo managed to say, "It's ok. I know you tried."

Amanda smiled, "I'm glad you're going to get better. I was really worried after everything that happened."

Tony tried to smile back, but he guessed it came out more like a grimace; he actually felt a little nauseous. As DiNozzo tried to figure out what else to do, Gibbs walked back into the room.

"Amanda?" the older agent asked, surprised by the visitor. He glanced at Tony, noticing the younger man's discomfort. "It was nice of you to come by."

"Yeah," she said. "I just wanted to apologize to Tony for not looking for you sooner." She sensed the awkwardness; wrung her hands nervously. "Um, I guess I should be going."

Before she left, DiNozzo plunged in and took one of her hands in his own. "I really do appreciate everything you did for me," he said genuinely.

Amanda smiled with relief. "I just didn't want you to hate me. Thanks for letting me ease my guilty conscience. Bye, Tony."

After she left, the blue-eyed man studied the Senior Field Agent, whose thoughts seemed very far away. "You alright?" Gibbs asked.

"Sure," Tony replied. "No big deal. She just wanted to try and make things right. It's ok." Based on the pinched look on DiNozzo's face, Gibbs didn't believe a word of it.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

The ex-marine was seated in the chair by the bed, drinking his ever present coffee and reading a newspaper. Tony stared over at Gibbs, feeling incredibly guilty that the older man had remained at the hospital all this time. "You know, Boss, you should go home, too. I'll be fine," DiNozzo said weakly.

Gibbs grinned at his quickly fading friend. "I'll go back when you go back. Now go to sleep before you pass out," the Lead Agent groused.

Tony yawned, "I wish I could stay awake for more than a couple of hours at a time," he complained.

Gibbs leaned forward, "The doc says it'll be a while before all that crap is completely out of your system, so you're gonna be tired. Just don't fight it and you'll be back soon." Now that the others were gone, he felt comfortable rubbing his friend on the head.

"Just, you know, if you get sick of being here it's ok for you to go," DiNozzo added sheepishly.

"I got it, Tony," Gibbs barked gently. "Go. To. Sleep."

"On it, Boss," Tony agreed with heavy lidded eyes.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

_Tony couldn't move. He was paralyzed. He couldn't even speak. Emily stood over him, her dazzling smile beaming down. "I've missed you, Anthony," she said. "You don't know how much I've missed our time together."_

_She pulled out a needle and leaned close to him. "This will make you forget everything, Anthony, your friends, your life, everything except me. Then we can be together always," she cooed in her silky voice. He could feel the injection slide into his arm, the medication burning as it entered his veins, worked its way through his bloodstream, coursed its way toward his heart._

_He couldn't breathe. His pulse was racing and his chest heaved painfully. Emily stared at him and laughed. "I'm going to help you, Anthony. I'm going to make it all better," she said, but did nothing, just continued to laugh. He tried to scream for help, but couldn't speak, couldn't move, couldn't escape from her…_

"Tony, wake up!" Gibbs was shaking him as his eyes snapped open. He could feel himself trembling and gasping for air. A nurse had rushed into the room, pushing Gibbs aside to evaluate the situation. An oxygen mask was thrust on his face and he could feel the cool air flowing into him. He sank back into the pillows and closed his eyes, trying to figure out what just happened. The IV had been positioned behind Tony's head, so he couldn't see as the nurse added something to the line to slow his racing heart.

After a few minutes, Tony seemed to settle down, his pulse coming back to normal and his breathing not quite so shallow. A light sheen of sweat covered his face.

The nurse removed the oxygen mask and replaced it with the nasal cannula for the time being. Tony watched her leave the room. "Boss," he whispered.

"Yeah, Tony, you better now?" Gibbs asked worriedly.

"I know you're not going to like this, but…..I really need to get out of here," he said softly. "Everything about this place reminds me of what happened, and I just think it would be good if I was somewhere else." He paused, "I really wanna go home."

Gibbs listened to the soft plea. Tony needed a lot more rest, and he was barely eating enough to keep a mouse alive, but the older man could understand his request. It might not be such a bad idea to get back into more natural surroundings.

The Lead Agent placed his hand on Tony's head, "I'll take care of it," he promised.

Tony smiled. "Thanks, Boss," he said, feeling safe enough to drift back to sleep.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Dr. Edwards turned out to be more stubborn than Gibbs had given him credit for. When the NCIS agent first mentioned taking Tony home, the doctor looked over at the sleeping field agent and asked, "How do you plan on getting all those monitors and equipment in the car?"

Gibbs had offered that Dr. Mallard would be there to provide constant medical supervision. The physician finally relented that it would be possible to let the young man go home earlier than planned, but not before they had a chance to run a thorough battery of tests. The doctor then managed to drag the testing out over another two days; by the time they were finished Tony was pronounced well enough to leave but in need of at least another week of bed rest. DiNozzo was glad to get out under any circumstances; he didn't intend to argue with the conditions.

As Tony settled into the car, Gibbs watched him slowly buckle the seatbelt and adjust himself into a somewhat comfortable position. The older agent leaned in and unfolded a blanket he had brought with him, tossing it over Tony's legs. He dropped a pillow in the younger man's lap.

Tony stared up at him. "You didn't have to do that, boss."

Gibbs grunted, "You just got out of the hospital, DiNozzo; you probably should still be _in_ the hospital. And it's a long drive so…." He shrugged.

A few hours later Tony was glad for the gesture. He had stuffed the pillow under his head and pulled the blanket up to his shoulders. Gibbs looked over occasionally and smiled slightly.

"Boss," Tony said hesitantly. "Mind if I tell you something?"

"Go ahead," the older agent said.

"It's just…." Tony paused, falling back into silence.

"Spit it out, DiNozzo," Gibbs urged.

"It's just that when I was in that place…..with Emily, I don't remember much; it's all kind of fuzzy. I know I felt…..helpless and kinda scared…never a good way to feel," he stared out the window a few minutes. "But what I remember most is when she told me you were dead." Tony looked down and away, clearly embarrassed. "I knew there were things I should've told you but hadn't, and I wanted a chance to change that."

Gibbs kept his eyes on the road and held his tongue. He didn't want to make this any harder on Tony than it already was. But then he thought about Shannon and Kelly, "I know what that feels like," he said.

Tony looked up, "I guess you do. Boss, I….I think you should know how much I appreciate everything you've done for me. I mean, I know you know, but sometimes you just have to say something out loud so it's on the record." He stopped for a minute. "No one else would've stayed with me, or…..brought me a blanket." Tony laughed nervously. "You're kind of like my best friend, but that's sort of weird, since you're so much older, well not that much older," he added quickly. The nerves were getting to him now. "Actually, you're probably old enough to be my Dad, if you had a kid when you were like 20 or 21."

"Nineteen," Gibbs said, wondering if Tony realized the quick answer meant he had already counted it up himself. _"You are like my son, Tony,"_ Gibbs thought, but the old marine couldn't say the words.

"Yeah, nineteen," Tony repeated thoughtfully. "So maybe you aren't like my best friend, you know someone I go out to clubs with or anything…oh, hell, I'm making a mess of this."

Gibbs observed the younger man tucked under the blanket. His skin was a few shades warmer than death and the purple under his eyes had improved to a dark blue. He still looked like crap. "You don't have anything to regret, Tony. I already know. Some things you don't have to say," he told the younger man.

Tony considered that, "I still wanted to tell you. Any day one of us could get shot, or blown up, or fall off a parking garage." Gibbs laughed. "I'm lucky to have you on my six, boss. There's no one else I'd want there."

"I'm not going anywhere," the ex-marine said reassuringly. "And neither are you."

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Ziva prepared a light but nutritious dinner for Tony's first night back at Gibb's house. The marine was never entirely sure when Tony said he wanted to go home if he meant his own apartment or his place, but when the arrangements had been made to go to Gibb's, the younger agent never complained. He ate some of Ziva's comfort food, thanked McGee for setting up the tv and dvd player in the spare bedroom, let Abby hug and kiss on him for as long as she wanted, listened to Ducky's story about an old friend from Morocco, and teased Jimmy Palmer about his latest girlfriend. Everyone went home happy and reassured of DiNozzo's recovery.

Tony had fallen asleep in the recliner, while Gibbs cleaned up the last of the leftovers. "Ready for bed?" he asked his young friend after Tony's head fell to the side and his eyes cracked open.

"Guess so," he replied. "But I thought you might want to tell me what's been on your mind first."

Gibbs grinned, "That obvious?" he asked.

"Only to the practiced observer," DiNozzo responded glibly.

The Lead Agent sat on the sofa and turned serious. "There is something we need to discuss, Tony," he explained.

"Why do I get the feeling this involves Dr. Emily Anderson," Tony suggested warily. He swallowed involuntarily.

Gibbs sighed. He'd been avoiding this conversation for days. "She wants to meet with you," the older man ventured.

Tony shook his head. "Why? What possible reason could there be for me to ever want to see her again?" he asked. "No," he said immediately. Seeing her in his nightmares was bad enough; seeing her in person was not something he wanted to do right now. "I don't think so."

"There is a reason you might not have thought about yet," Gibbs pointed out gently. "A trial."

The Senior Field Agent didn't move. "Oh," he replied. "Kind of forgot about that."

"She offered to plead guilty and avoid a trial, but only if you agree to meet with her, face-to-face," Gibbs described the option.

Tony sat quietly for a while. He really didn't want to see her again, but at the same time, a trial….he didn't think he could deal with everyone hearing about what had happened. He didn't want to hear about it himself. There was a lot he still couldn't remember, and he doubted that he would ever try to. A trial could be sensational; a federal agent kidnapped and tortured by a beautiful serial killer. He could only imagine the possible press coverage.

"When does she want to meet with me?" DiNozzo asked softly.

"You have a few more weeks to decide if you want to do this," Gibbs responded.

"I'll do it," Tony answered suddenly.

"You don't have to, Tony. Anyone would understand if you don't go through with it," Gibbs offered.

"I need to, Boss. I can't have nightmares about her for the rest of my life. And I definitely don't want to go through a trial. This is probably the best option," Tony decided. He laughed a little, "Maybe she is trying to help me out after all."

Gibbs grabbed Tony under the arm and pulled his friend to his feet. He admired DiNozzo's ability to walk through fire and come out the other side relatively unscathed. "Just think about it, Tony," he advised. "You can always change your mind."

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Gibbs had been puttering in the basement; when he walked past the door to the spare bedroom he paused, noticing a shaft of light. For a minute he hesitated, wondering if he should give DiNozzo some privacy. Gibbs decided it was more important to check on his agent; make sure he was ok. Opening the door, he found Tony lying in bed watching the small tv McGee had set up for him. "Couldn't sleep?" he asked.

"Nah," Tony replied. "Thought I'd watch a movie instead." Gibbs sat down in a chair and crossed his legs. They watched in silence for a while.

"What is this?" Gibbs asked. "I actually think I've seen it before."

"Really?" Tony responded, impressed. "It's _Lethal Weapon II_. I was thinking about it while I was, you know, in that straight jacket." Gibbs raised his eyebrows, Tony shrugged. "I had a lot of time on my hands. It's a really good movie, but not because of all the shooting and explosions. It's more about the relationship between Riggs and Murtaugh; they don't seem to have anything in common, one guy's old and the other guy's young, but they just sort of get each other. The whole story is about how they would do anything to help each other. I like that." He looked up at Gibbs sheepishly. The older agent leaned back and kept watching the movie.

"You know," Gibbs said after a few more minutes. "The Murtaugh character is the better of the two. He's smart, experienced, and handsome. I can see why you like him."

"Are you kidding?" Tony countered. "Riggs is much better; he's younger, good looking, street smart. No way you're right, Gibbs, no way."

Gibbs smiled crookedly and tilted his head to the side, neither man missing the loose analogy. Tony laughed. When the movie was finished, the older agent glanced over to see the younger man sleeping soundly while propped against the headboard. He placed a hand on DiNozzo's shoulder, nudging the sleeping man down into the bed. Tony slid under the covers while Gibbs put a pillow under his head. The ex-marine turned out the light and quietly headed for the door.

"G'night, Boss," Tony mumbled. "Thanks for bringing me home."

_"Guess that answers that question," _Gibbs thought. "Goodnight, DiNozzo," he replied, quietly shutting the door.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

By the end of the week, Tony was exhausted from staying in bed all the time. Abby and Ziva took turns making breakfast, McGee brought lunch and Gibbs covered dinner. Ducky was in and out several times a day taking his blood pressure and temperature and making him swallow a variety of different pills.

Tony drew the line at the anti-anxiety meds. "I don't want them," he insisted to the ME.

"There is no shame in taking something to help you handle a very stressful situation, Tony. Are you sleeping alright? Having any nightmares?" the doctor asked.

Tony fidgeted. "Sometimes I have nightmares and can't sleep. It's no problem though. I'd rather get through it on my own," he explained. "Dr. Crazy kept me doped up enough that I could go the rest of my life without feeling that way again." He paused, then asked a question that had been bothering him. "Uh, Ducky, did you ever look into Dr. Anderson's case? What made her…..do the things she did?"

The ME sat down on the edge of the bed. "I wondered when you would ask that. Yes, I did look into her files. It turns out that Dr. Anderson appears to have been abused by a step-brother for many years. He disappeared when she was seventeen; I would say he was her first victim," the old Scot explained. "The step-brother had brown hair and green eyes, much like your own."

"Oh," Tony replied.

"I would surmise she has spent her entire life trying to regain control over the man she felt took away all her power. But in a way she also loved him; the combination made it impossible for her to differentiate the two experiences. It isn't an excuse for her behavior, but it is a reason," the physician elaborated.

Tony considered the information in silence. "Thanks, Ducky," the younger man said.

"At least now you know why she fixated on you. I hope it helps," he closed his bag to leave. Tony wasn't sure if it helped or not.

Once he was no longer under house arrest, DiNozzo wasted no time in getting back out. He spent hours shooting baskets in the park down the street from Gibb's house until he was so tired at night he fell into bed without thinking. A week before the meeting with Dr. Anderson, Gibb's allowed him back on desk duty. Tony was grateful for the distraction.

On the night before he was to see Emily, Tony made his way down to the basement; Gibbs was working on a wooden rocking chair. "Wondered when you'd get down here," the Lead Agent said, pouring some bourbon in a semi-clean glass. Tony sipped the drink. "You ready for this?" the silver-haired man asked.

Tony gulped the rest of the drink and slammed the glass back down on the table. "Guess we'll find out," he replied, leaning back on the step to wait for the sunrise.

_NCISNCSINCIS_

Before dawn the next morning, Gibbs and Tony set out for the drive to Boston. The week Tony spent with Emily had been more like a week in hell; he had been trying to not think about what happened as much as possible. He was still having nightmares, although he hadn't mentioned them to Gibbs, and he was still tired a lot. But he figured it was time to get over this and put it behind him. Seeing her again couldn't possibly be that bad.

Gibbs studied Tony as they walked into the jail. His Senior Field Agent had already surprised him in the clothes he chose for today; Gibbs had expected an expensive suit, but Tony opted for jeans and a soft vintage t-shirt. The last few days he'd spent in the sun had brought back a lot of his color and added some blonde to his sandy brown hair. He looked youthful and in pretty good shape, considering that just three weeks ago he had been in ICU. If the reaction of the receptionist who handed them visitor's passes was any indication, DiNozzo was having a very good day.

As they neared the interrogation room, the only sign Tony gave of being nervous was some slight fidgeting. Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "What?" Tony asked.

"Stop fidgeting," the Lead Agent admonished.

"Yeah, ok," Tony agreed, taking a deep breath.

Gibbs head-slapped the younger man.

Tony winced and grabbed the back of his head. "What was that for?" he asked.

"Preventative maintenance, just in case you decide to do something stupid and let her get the best of you," the Lead Agent explained.

Tony rubbed his head, "Won't happen, boss. I was taught by the master."

A guard opened the door. "She's ready," he said.

Tony gave Gibbs one last look, let his mask slide in place, and walked through the door.

_"Good luck, Tony," _Gibbs thought, as he headed for the observation room.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

Emily was seated at a small table. She was handcuffed, the silver bracelets attached to a ring in the table. She folded her hands over the restraint like a small tent. The doctor was also wearing leg irons which were attached to a ring in the floor. Her hair was in a ponytail and she was wearing a blue jumpsuit that said Prisoner on the back. She looked very small, almost petite and demure. Tony felt extremely large and masculine in comparison. How had he ever been afraid of this woman? _"She kind of looks like Kate," _he realized morbidly.

"Hello, Anthony," she said sweetly. The voice nearly knocked him over. Every memory that he had forgotten, every feeling of hurt and helplessness, flooded back to him.

Watching from behind the glass, Gibbs saw Tony flinch, then recover within seconds. DiNozzo walked over and sat down across from her, pushing his chair back and loosely crossing his legs. Gibbs could swear he had seen the same pose from a male model in a magazine somewhere. Tony stared straight at Emily. _"He knows exactly what he's doing,"_ Gibbs thought with appreciation of his friend.

Emily appraised him, and involuntarily licked her lips.

She started to speak but Tony cut her off. He pushed the plea agreement across the table in front of her. "You have two minutes. Sign it or I walk out of here," he demanded cooly.

Dr. Anderson blinked, tilted her head to the side, then smiled. "Ok, Anthony, I see what we're doing here," she stated, then reached for the pen. The handcuffs clinked slightly as she signed the document then handed it to her attorney, who stood by silently. "That should make you and Gibbs very happy."

Tony barely moved. "What do you want, Emily?" he asked.

She sighed. "I just wanted to see you again so that I could have a solid memory to hold on to for the next…..few years. I must say, you've outdone yourself. You look quite…..handsome. I guess a girl always misses the one who got away," she said.

"Is that all?" Tony inquired. "If it is, then I think I'll go now."

She burst into another beautiful smile. "Oh, Anthony, I was so right about you being special. Sitting here now, do you enjoy seeing me bound, unable to defend myself? Does it please you, having me in this position?" she asked him.

"I'm just glad you can't hurt anyone else," he answered.

She leaned forward. "I would much rather the tables were turned. I would love to have you handcuffed in front of me. I would help you see just how special you really are," she purred.

Despite his outwardly calm demeanor, Tony was starting to feel sick. He needed to get away from her. Gibbs noticed Tony shift, saw his veins bulge. _"Maybe it's time to stop this," _the Lead Agent questioned himself.

"I think about you every day, Anthony," Emily said warmly. "I replay our time together in my dreams. I'll think about you always."

Tony leaned forward, placing his hand inches from her own. "Would you like to touch me?" he asked. "I bet you would. But guess what? You're the one without any power now. You have no control. And for the rest of your life you will be the one told what to do, and when, and how. You will never have control over anything again. Whenever I think of you, Emily, that 's what I'll remember."

Tony stood. "Goodbye, Dr. Anderson," he said. "Something you need to understand is that after today, what happened with you is over for me." He moved close so he could whisper in her ear. "Forever." DiNozzo walked toward the door.

"Anthony," she said as he stood in the doorway. "I'll see you again soon. I promise."

Tony didn't give her the satisfaction of turning around.

_NCISNCISNCIS_

The NCIS agents walked toward Tony's car. "So," Gibbs said, "we've driven all the way here from DC and you haven't really shown me what this new car will do." Since Tony's Mustang had been destroyed, he had used the inheritance from Great Aunt Trudy's estate to replace it.

"Well, you know, I wasn't sure an old man like you could handle what this car could put out," Tony teased, slipping on his sunglasses.

"Don't you worry about me, DiNozzo, I think I'll be alright," Gibbs countered. They stopped and admired the red Ferrari that stood out in the parking lot like a spot on the sun. "I still can't believe you bought it," the older man said, shaking his head.

"It's what I've always wanted. And Aunt Trudy always believed in splurging every now and then," Tony explained with a huge smile.

They slid into the buttery interior. "So you think you and Ziva are the only ones who know how to drive a car fast?" DiNozzo asked.

Gibbs grunted. "I don't know, Miss Daisy, why don't you show me what you can do," the old marine challenged.

Tony laughed at the movie reference while pushing some buttons on the CD player. His grin grew wider as the theme from Magnum PI burst through the speakers. Now Gibbs laughed out loud.

Tony revved the engine and let out a whoop as he slammed the car in gear and peeled out of the parking lot, plastering his grinning boss against the passenger seat and heading back toward home.

_**The End**_


End file.
